Restless Dreams
by Ariel Rivka
Summary: After recieving a letter from his late wife, Mary, James is beckoned back to Silent Hill where James must learn the truth of his wife's death and of the town...at a deadly cost. A novelization of SH2.
1. Letter from Silent Haven

Three years ago, James Sunderland's wife Mary was stricken ill with a disease and died soon after. James has spent the next three years mourning for her lost. Then one day, he recieves a letter from her, beckoning him to meet her in their 'special place'. Not quite believing whether the letter is a hoax or if she is really alive, James goes to the quiet, deserted town, only to cross paths with mysterious characters, some of them knowing more about James then he does himself. Seraching for the clues needed to be found, James must go through this hell, only to learn that the answers he needs requires the ultimate sacrafice...

Restless Dreams

James Sunderland looked into the dirty bathroom mirror. His own reflection looked back at him bearing the same look of grief. If it wasn't for the fact that the mirror copied his every move, James would have thought that the reflection was not really his but merely a man who bore a resemblance to him. He looked and seemed so different than he had three years ago.

"Mary, could you really be in this town?" He asked his own reflection as though expecting it to answer him back. James leaned closer toward the mirror and gently drew his hand over his face.

_How can a man change so much in three years? _He wondered to himself. His eyes were now lined, giving him a tired, haggard look. But the lines weren't from old age, James was only twenty nine, they were from…so many other things. Grief, pain, loneliness, anything that could describe how a person felt after a loved ones death. James sighed and stood up straighter; he hadn't realized how hard he had been holding the sink. He glanced down at his hands where there were marks left behind from the uneven pieces on the sink. But James only looked at his hands numbly, he wouldn't have reacted much more probably if his hand fell off, he was only here for one thing.

Mary.

James gave the restroom one last look before exiting it back into the nearly deserted parking lot that was next to the observation deck. His hands reaching for the letter for the zillionth time, James walked over to where the deck looked out toward Toluca Lake. He couldn't see the lake though due to all the trees that stood in front of it, but James knew the lake was there. And even further, Silent Hill. James read the letter again, he knew it by heart, but he still read.

_In my Restless dreams I see that town, Silent Hill. You promised you'd take me there again, but you never did. Well, I'm alone there now in our special place, waiting for you._

"Mary." He whispered. His gaze fell back toward the lake's direction. None of this could be true. Could it be? His Mary waiting for him. It was like a dream…or a nightmare. James shivered involuntarily though he didn't know why. To most people, this might have been a very romantic date, but there was nothing romantic about it to James. It was scary, but it gave him hope that somehow, some way, Mary could still really somehow be alive, waiting for him.

_Mary, _James thought to himself as a wave of sadness washed over him. _Could you really be in this town? _

James leaned his arms against the wall of the deck.

_I received a letter, the name on the envelope said Mary, my wife's name. _James looked silently at the trees in front of him, not really staring at anything, but just thinking. _It can't be true, I keep telling myself that._

"Mary died of that damn disease three ago." James fumed. He suddenly realized that he had said that out loud, too loud. His face flushed even though he knew that no one was around to hear it. His hard gaze slid back to the direction that Silent Hill was, where Mary was, but she was dead…wasn't she?

"So then, why am I looking for her here?" He asked quietly.

James knew he had to go town. The town was beckoning him, forcing him to come, not just Mary. Although Mary was reason enough. James loved Mary; he would have gone through hell to be with her again. She didn't deserve to die. The last few years had been a blur to James. He thought he would never get on with his life…until the letter.

James sighed deeply and backed away from the wall overlooking the forest. His hand went to his breast pocket where a photo of Mary was always waiting for him. It had been when she was still healthy. Her face was lined with happiness and her smile was full of health. How could such a healthy person just drop dead like that? His finger was gently tracing her face; he wished it was her real face. That she was truly there beside him, helping him. Maybe it would be like that soon. James pocketed the photo gave the woods one last stare before heading toward his car.

When James had driven in not too long before, he had found that the only road leading toward Silent Hill was blocked. He would have to take the path through the forest. James shuddered slightly. He did not like the thought of going through those creepy woods in the chilly fog. But he had too. Mary was waiting. And he would do anything for her.

The map of Silent Hill sat in the front seat. James picked it up and examined the map, his eyes rolling over some of the places he had heard of before. One particular place made his eyes stop. Rosewater Park. Lowering his map, James closed his eyes and imagined the park looking over the lake. Could that be their 'special place'? It was certainly a good guess. It had been one of the highlights of their trip when they had come here together.

"Mary," James whispered with his eyes still closed. A single tear found its way out of the corner of James's eyes and slid slowly down his face, leaving a wet trail. "I _will_ find you. I won't let you down." He opened his eyes and gave the lake's direction a stolid look as memories began to fill him of the town and his late wife.

"I promise."

James had been walking for a while now. The cool, autumn air sent chills down James's spine as he pulled his green jacket closer to his body. The fog just seemed to be getting thicker, to the point where James could barely see ahead of himself.

James grimaced as a leaf blew into his face. These weren't the lovely woods James had remembered. Over head, the sky was a darkish gray and James knew there must be rain heading this way.

"Damn." James murmured as a very strong gust of wind came down, causing James's jacket to nearly fly off his back. He sighed to himself, wishing he had worn something a bit heavier. It was much colder than he had expected. He hadn't really checked to see what it was going to be like here, he had just been more concentrated on going to Silent Hill. The only person who knew he had come here was his father. Frank. He simply told everyone at work that he was going somewhere for a day or two and would be back as soon as he could. His father hadn't really understood either. He had just assumed that James would be going to Silent Hill to clear his mind.

"_James, this place is just so…calm. I could just stay here all day." _And they had. Just the two of them, staring into the water. Mary loved Silent Hill; it was a haven to her. Her Silent Haven.

As James rounded a corner on the path, he began to notice that it was becoming much foggier than it had been at the bathroom. In fact, he couldn't see two feet in front of him.

"Jeeze," He muttered as put his hand in front of him. Even just a few feet away, it became a ghostly silhouette.

Below him, he could just barely hear the water. Toluca Lake. The sound of it gently slapping the shores was a bit calming, yet at the same time, it filled James with memories of Mary and their trip here. It had seemed so long ago. Ever since Mary had become sick, she had wanted to come to this town so badly. James regretted that he didn't take her here before she had…passed away. After all, he had promised her. He didn't keep her last promise.

"I really wish they had signs over here." He said after walking for about ten minutes later. He tried using his map, but it was so hard to read with the fog.

Something was coming up ahead. It wasn't a person, it was too big, but it gave James somehow a sense of déjà vu. "What?" His heart beating in his chest, James hurried near the object to find it was a well.

James stepped up to edge and peered into the deep hole. Something in his brain seemed to stir.

"I've been here before." James murmured to himself.

Suddenly the memory he had forgotten slowly came back as James bent farther into the hole, trying to see what was in the bucket. The paper in the bucket was bright red. It wasn't an ugly shade, but it made James feel slightly nauseated and his head hurt.

Although he wanted to look away, he couldn't. That paper, so vividly red, why was it making him feel sick?

James finally stepped back and grabbed onto the rope. As he quickly as he could, he began to feverishly pull on the frayed rope, trying to lift the bucket out of the well. The bucket lifted easily, too easily. It was just to the top when _Snap_. The rope broke and the paper and bucket fell into darkness.

James leaned over the side and gapped. He banged both of his hands on the side of the well angrily. The paper, it had been something he had been meant to see, he knew it! Maybe it had been from Mary, telling him where they're special place was. It didn't matter anyway. Or maybe just a hint. Either way, the paper was gone. With a frustrated sigh, James stepped away from the well, wondering why he had been so desperate to get the paper out in the first place. James was just about to get on his way when suddenly he heard a very unnerving sound.

_Kurclunk. Kurclunk._

James tensed, trying to find to the source of the weird noise. Was there a wild animal there hidden behind a bush or tree?

_No, _James chided himself. _These are public woods._

Deciding to dismiss the weird noise, James kept on going forward. Even so, the weird got louder as he neared the town. Presently, he came upon some iron gates. With a few creaks and groans, they opened for James. James walked forward into the new area and realized that it was no longer woods. There were low walls on either side of him. Small stones began to appear as James grew nearer and James realized, a bit uncomfortably, that he must be in a cemetery.

_Great. _He thought to himself sarcastically.

James bit his tongue nervously; he had never really liked bone yards. Especially headstones that were as big as he was. That was what coming closer, a very large headstone just a silhouette in the fog. James was about to look away when…it moved! James stopped; his heart was pounding loudly in his chest, as the figure straightened up from its position of prayer then leaned back down at the tombstone in its original position. James didn't know what else to do except to go closer and see if he had really just seen that.

James slowly began to go nearer, and as he did, the figure changed. Red pants became visible with regular flesh-looking skin. James let out a huge sigh of relief as he realized that it wasn't a statue but a woman.

"Excuse me I-" He said as he neared. The woman cut him off as she gasped loudly and turned around. Wild brown eyes took in his face and the woman's face showed her relief, but the brown eyes remained suspicious and frightened.

"I…I'm sorry. I was just…"

"No its okay," James said as he held up his hands to calm the frightened girl. He could see that the girl was badly shaken and he made her a bit nervous. The girl pushed a piece of dark brown hair away from her pale face. "Can you help me? I kind of lost." He said.

The young girl gave him a puzzled stare. "Lost?"

"Yeah, I'm going to Silent Hill. Is this the right way?" James asked, indicating his chosen route. The girl followed his arm's direction and nodded.

"Yes. You can't miss it. It's kinda hard to see with all the fog around but there's only one road."

James began to walk away. "Thanks."

"But…" The girl said slowly, as though afraid to tell.

"Hmm?"

"This uh…this town…there's something…_wrong_ with it." She said. "It's kinda hard to explain but…" She looked down, not knowing whether to go on.

"Is it...dangerous?" What if Mary was in trouble? Who would be there for her?

"It may be," The girl said, her voice dropping lower as though afraid someone would overhear. James was observant, he saw the way the girl kept on looking around nervously, the suspicious glare in her eyes, and way she grasped her hands together tightly. He wondered if he was talking to a sane person. "And it's not just the fog either, its…" Her voice trailed off as she watched James's expressions seeing if he believed her. James backed up a few feet and turned around, wondering how the hell the fog could be dangerous if you were on foot. Maybe the girl was telling the truth. Okay, I get it. I'll be careful." He said over his shoulder.

The girl was obviously offended. "I'm not lying!" She yelled back at him.

"No, I believe you." He said simply. "It's just…I guess I really don't care whether its dangerous or not. I'm going to town either way."

The girl was not satisfied. "But why?" She asked him.

James hesitated. "I'm looking for someone."

"Who, who, who is it?" The girl stuttered.

"Someone…" James grimaced as he put a hand to his forehead. A slight pain had started there. He couldn't put his finger on it but it seemed as though…he was trying to remember…

_Remember what?_

"very important to me." He continued as the pain began to subside. He lowered his hand from his forehead, wondering what had just happened. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the girl staring at him strangely. James shook his head, trying to rid himself of the odd feeling. "I'd do anything to be with them again." It was true, no matter how dangerous the town was, he wanted back his Mary.

_No one will stand in my way._

The girl nodded, a bit sadly. "I'm looking for someone too." She told him. "My mama—I'm mean mother." S slight grimace crossed her face. She began to stroke the grave next to her and stared at it thoughtfully. "It's been so long since I've seen her." She said a bit quietly. A weird glaze was in her eyes. "I thought my father and brother were here too, but I can't find them anywhere." She shook her head as though snapping out of it. "I'm so sorry." She apologized as she turned to look at James. "It's really not your problem."

"It's okay." James told her. "I hope you find your mother."

The girl was silent for a second. She reached out and touched the grave again. "Yeah, you too."

James stood there a moment longer before backing away and turning around. Even as he looked away, he knew her sad brown eyes would haunt him.

James walked toward the exit and caught sight of the small church off to the side. It seemed so small and cold looking, a church out away from a town with a cemetery. Who was buried out here anyways?

James chose a random gravestone, the one that the girl had been staring at previously, and bent down to see the inscription.

To my dear Angela,

Your final resting place.

Love Daddy

1982-2001

See you soon

A/N-This is my first attempt at a novelization so be please kind! I would really appreciate it if someone could please review this.


	2. White Noiz

CHAPTER 2

A/N- This chapter wasn't the best to put together but it came out. The next chapters are going to take a while excuse me if it doesn't show up for a while. I would really appreciate some reviews so I know what to do.

Disclaimer: I _do not_ own Silent Hill.

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James was almost near the town.

Or, at least, he_ had _to have been. He had just passed the Welcome to Silent Hill sign. Jeeze, it was just getting foggier and foggier, it hadn't been like this on the highway to here. He was another highway now, but it was smaller but Silent Hill was also a very small town. No matter how he tried, he could not stop thinking of that girl back in the cemetery, the way she kept looking around her, her sad, brown eyes that had stared at him so suspiciously. He wondered if he would see her again…

_Kurclunk. Kurclunk._

James froze on the highway, his heart beating loudly. There it was again! What was it? A uneasy feeling curled in James's stomach. Green eyes darted around the area nervously, trying to find the source of the noise. It seemed to be coming from…all around. James walked forward a bit, not quite knowing what to do. As he moved forward on the road, he saw, a pipe slightly sticking out of the ground.

_These pipes go all around under the town. _He thought to himself.

_Kurclunk. Kurclunk._

The pipe made a slight shuddering movement then…_Sspff. _Steam darted out of the pipe and curled into the air before vanishing. James, who had been holding his breath, let out a huge sigh of relief then, realizing it was just the pipes making that sound.

_Yeah, _He snickered to himself. Silent _Hill._

James continued walking, but something still seemed very wrong, he couldn't hear anything else. He had thought that as he neared the town, he would at least start to hear people or cars, but there was the only sound of pipes.

_Maybe there all just inside today because of the fog. Or I'm not yet close enough._

Still though, the feeling was back, telling him to turn around. But that wasn't an option.

"Mary, I'm coming." He muttered under his breath. A slight wind came in response, like a soft sigh. In fact, it almost sounded like Mary, just like her actually, but James dismissed it, it was only his imagination.

The road James was on led to a small gravel pathway. James broke out in a jog, eager to get into the town with other people and away from the street. Building were starting to become visible to his eye.

_Yes!_

James felt a smile of relief light up his face. He stopped jogging and walked further into the town where building were clearly visible now, plain regular buildings that James remembered so well. As soon as James walked into the middle of the street though, the smile left his face.

_What the hell?_

Where was everyone? It was just a…ghost town! James turned around halfway, a puzzled look frozen onto his face. It was like; everyone had just picked up and left. There was no laughing people walking around the side walks, no cars riding up and down the street, not even a bird looking for food remain! Nothing! Where had everyone gone?

James walked forward, feeling a bit sick. His footsteps echoed eerily off the streets. There was no sign over the doors saying closed, nothing to indicate where everyone had gone. They just seemed to leave at last minute. The hairs on James neck bristled. All the store windows stared at him blankly, empty eye sockets. Yet, James couldn't brush off the feeling that he was being watched. Venturing further down the street, his eyes kept darting back and forth, looking for any signs of life.

"What happened?" He muttered to himself. Why would Mary come here?

Coming up ahead was an intersection. James glanced down at his map and saw that it was Sanders and Lindsey intersection. He seemed to be going in the right direction…

The intersection, one of the streets might led him toward Rosewater. Hurrying closer to the intersection, James could just dimly see something glistening on the road.

"Huh?" It was kind of hard to see in the fog, but it was something wet. James hurried closer, squinting against the foggy air. He stepped out into the middle of the intersection and peered at the smudge that covered a chunk of the street.

"Oh my…!"

His lunch seemed to awaken suddenly and threatened him to hold on tight. Blood. Blood was smeared on the street. Just a bright red smear in the fog. "What the…" James jumped back; his heart was thudding loudly in his chest. It suddenly seemed apparent to him that the girl in the cemetery was not crazy. What had made all of this blood?!

In fog, a shadow was hurrying away from the scene. James just barely caught a glimpse of it. A human? They seemed to be limping.

"Hey, wait!" James called as he hurried to catch up with them. "Please, help me! You have to help me!"

If they heard him they didn't show it. The shadow was soon gone into the fog.

James chose to run off after the shadow. Maybe they knew what was going on! James hurried to catch up with them, but they were no where to be seen. He was on a new street now with townhouses lining the sides. If it weren't for the fog, it seemed like a comfortable place to live. James froze and took a moment to look around, appreciating the trees and green grass.

At the side of the street on the grass was a monument. James wandered closer, curious as to what the monument was for.

Remains of swamp

The of land surround

is monument was originally swamp, but

was later fil

Frng ago, Ts was nicknamed Blood Swamp because the ers

Poured the wat sed to wash the exols in here.

Perhaps its fohat many pem to have s

n the area.

James straightened up. Most of the letters were worn or covered in mold. It was kind of hard to read. But still, it looked very interesting. James knew that it must have had something to due with the Blood Swamp which was here before the settlers. Most people didn't know that the entire area had once been sacred and that the peaceful, Toluca Lake had been infamous in the town.

James hurried over to Vachss Road which held many more blood stains. They lead down a smaller path that led away from the street. James didn't want to follow them, but there wasn't much of a choice. Nothing else would satisfy his curiosity. Walking carefully, trying to avoid stepping in the red goop, James made his way down the road, not knowing what to expect.

_This just can't be true._

The path led him to a construction site. Certain area were blocked with tape, it looked as though they were, had been, in the process of something big. There was a noise coming from one of the sites. A buzzing noise, very irritating. James walked over to the site blocked off by boards and saw a radio emitting static lying on the table. James crawled under the boards, cursing his lack of flexibility, and picked up the radio laying on the table.

Giving the radio a few shakes, it became clear to James that the radio was busted. He let out a disgusted sigh. Something moved behind him.

James turned around, not prepared for the sight in front of him. A creature, the kind only in nightmares stood from its blood bath. A mutilated human lay in front of it.

James was too shocked to speak as the creature rose.

_It has no arms! _James mind yelled. _Run away!!!_

The monster was covered in blood, an extra skin covered up its arms like a straight jacket. A horrible sound arose from its non existent throat as it spotted James and became hungry.

James could only stare at the monster, not believing his eyes. Blindly, he reached behind him, feeling for an exit. _Quick! _A board snapped off with a nail still poking out. As the monster neared, James knew there was no use to run, there was no time!

_Use the board!_

_Sppfff!_

Acid-like air spewed from the monster's mouth. James started top cough, he could feel his knees start to buckle and he just stood there.

_Fight!_

He couldn't move! He was paralyzed! Panic swept into his throat, terror washed over him. He couldn't die like this! As the monster neared, feeling returned to his temples and knees. His muscles felt so much more flexible. Without another thought, he raised the board over his head and brought it down hard onto the monster's noggin. Blood spurted out of the head, splattered onto the walls. The monster emitted a high noise, like nails on a chalkboard, and fell to the ground, writhing in pain. James hit again, and again, till it had stopped moving and the noise was gone.

James stared down at the monster, his heart pounding loudly in his chest.

_What the hell is it? _He finally wondered. _Is it dead?_

He poked it once with his stick, it didn't move. With a sigh of relief, James decided he could turn his back. His hands were shaking so bad, it was hard to just grip the wooden boards to help him get out.

_That girl was right. _He thought to himself. _This town is definitely screwed up._

As soon as he got out, the radio he had placed in his pocket started to buzz again.

"Oh yeah." He murmured as he took it out.

There was static, and then a voice came through. A woman's voice. Their message kept on getting cut off by static.

"James…go…hurr…waiti….no….town…dangerous…sorr…please..."

"What the…?" He murmured as the voice was abruptly cut off by static.

_That voice, _He thought to himself. _It sounded just like Mary. _

James waited longer, to see if Mary or whomever had spoken on the radio would come back, but they didn't. Even if it wasn't Mary, they had said his name, they knew him! Were they trying to warn them of the town? It was clear to James that it was defiantly dangerous.

"Oh well. I'm might need it." He placed the radio in his pocket.

After giving the sight one last look around, he decided there was nothing there of interest. He made his way back into town. The image of the monster would not leave his mind; it kept nagging at him, the monster eating the corpse, _why? _He felt as though there was something he was missing, he had forgotten. Nothing made sense anymore. Dead wives writing letters, an abandoned town, monsters, what was next? Why was he here?

_Oh Mary, _He thought. _Why are _you _here?_

The end of the path was coming up. James ended back onto the street. He thought about leaving the town, but the picture of Mary in his mind kept nagging at him.

_Just like in real life. _He though grimly then winced, wondering why he was thinking about that. He loved Mary, even though she had nagged at him a bit…

Suddenly, a static started up on his radio.


	3. Alone in the Town

Chapter 3

The radio was starting to emit static again. James paused and removed the radio from his pocket and gave it a hard shake.

"Com'n." He muttered to himself as the sound got louder. Was it just broken? It was certainly annoying. Suddenly, he heard the sound footsteps coming nearer. The radio was momentarily forgotten as a shadow took place in the fog of a deformed human. Was it human?

James backed up; not wanting to see what was coming his way, he prayed it of his own specimen, someone as lost and confused as he was. Unfortunately for him, his prayers were nothing in the damned town. It was another creature like the one at the construction site. Underneath its second bloody skin the stretched over its head and chest, little stubs were squirming around, trying to be free of its permanent straight jacket. James's stomach lurched, he did not want to fight this, and it was so scary. As the thing hobbled closer to James, its back suddenly bent backwards and a sound arose from it.

_Damn!_

James instantly recognized this and leaped out of the way just as the creature spewed out its acidic puke.

_I have to fight, or I'll die!_

James raised his plank over his head. Blood from the previous fight still hadn't dried. It glistened menacingly as James smacked the creatures head, knocking it sideways.

_Come on, _He thought to himself. _Die!_

The monster stayed up though, it did not want to fall down. Before it could attack, James's board caught it directly where their ribcage should have been. This worked; the monster was on the ground, laying still. James swallowed nervously and shakily jabbed the board into the side to see if it was alive. The creature instantly sprang to life, scuttling frightening speed on the ground toward James's feet. James screamed and jumped back as the monster brushed against his leg. The radio was going wild now, static coming from it that James though it would burst. As the monster neared again, James brought up his foot and brought it down hard onto the monster. It made a sound and it back arched before falling back the ground. The static on the radio died, James knew that that must mean he was no longer in danger.

_No longer in danger? _He thought to himself, his heart was beating so loudly and fast he though it would leap from his chest. _This friggin town is full of monsters!_

James backed away from the corpse and turned away his head. This was just unbelievable, what happened here? Where had everyone gone? Did the monsters…kill them all? It just was so twisted, how could this be happening? And of course, what about Mary?

"Mary," James murmured as he shook his head. "Why on Earth did you come here? Are you even here?"

Maybe this was all a trick, someone thought it would be funny to…

_Send a man a letter saying it was from his dead wife and telling him to come here. _James finished grimly. But that also sounded ridiculous; wouldn't they have known how dangerous the town was? Does anyone know?

_It doesn't matter. _He decided. _If Mary really is here, I need to find her. It's been so long…_

Now James needed to go to Rosewater Park. He carefully took out his map and examined the closest route to the park. The map showed that he could follow one street to got there, he wasn't that far.

James put away his map and started toward the park. Without really even thinking about it himself. He chose Mary over leaving the town, leaving to safety. He had already lost her once, three years ago due to her illness, and that had nearly destroyed him, he couldn't allow that to happen again. He wanted to see her, even an illusion of her, and this might be his chance. Besides, should she die at the hands of the monsters because he wasn't there to protect her...he would never forgive himself.

Suddenly, the familiar sound of static interrupted his thoughts. James fled.

James had been doing everything possible to avoid whatever lurked in the fog, but he knew that sooner or later he would have to fight. It wasn't a very pleasant thought. Just as James reached the end of the street, something appeared in the fog that made James audibly gasp.

"What the…" His words trailed off as he got closer to find that the path leading to Rosewater was cut off…or, no longer existed. The street ended jaggedly. Where the rest of the road should have been was just empty air. Well, so much for that route.

James sighed and looked at his map. He had marked off blocked roads and such, there didn't seem to be any other way for him to get to the park. James sighed in frustration and retraced his steps back to the intersection. He began to walk in no particular direction, hoping he would accidentally find a way to the park. As he was walking, the sound of static filled his ears. James raised his board above his head nervously, his eyes darting around for whatever may be near.

He kept on walking forward till the noise died down and he was in safe zone again. He still couldn't figure out what was going on with those monsters. It was something you'd expect in a horror movie, or a nightmare.

_What if it is just a nightmare, _James thought to himself. _What if I'm just dreaming? Soon I'll awake like I've been doing for the past three years in bed, feeling empty and full of grief._

James shuddered. Half of him wanted I to be a dream, but half still wanted to find Mary for real.

Walking forward, the noise came up again, only this time, no shadow appeared. A weird sensation prickled his neck, he turned around. There it was, and over there.

_Please no!_

Surrounded, closing in on him, and suffocating him. The radio seemed too loud suddenly, the sound went through his ears and to his brain, giving him a headache. The monster came closer, promising him no mercy for they were hungry.

"This isn't real!" He shouted. "This can't be!"

But it was. It was very real. The danger was right in front of him, mocking him.

_I can't let this happen. I can't end up letting Mary down._

Without another thought, or even thinking about it, he was smacking the monsters mercilessly. With every powerful swing of his board, he felt more powerful. A few of them fell down to their bellies and scuttled away. With every powerful swing of the board, a renewed strength re-placed fear. These monsters were standing in his way. The hunted became the hunter.

James broke through the circle and ran down another street. He ran and ran until he reached the end. Running away from the monsters, from all of those nagging monsters!

He began to feel tired as he neared the end. Pausing to take a breath, he faintly noticed a strange scent in the air. He could have sworn he had never smelt it in his life, although it smelled strangely familiar. Once again, he couldn't help but feel he was forgetting something.

As he neared the end of the street, the smell only got worse; James resisted the urge to gaga and moved forward to see what was making that horrible smell. Even though he couldn't see what it was, James had a horrible feeling in his stomach, he thought he knew.

Suddenly, a form became visible in the fog, something leaning against the gate. As soon as James saw what it was, his face crumpled in disgust. Holding his nose, he moved closer to see if he was right. Someone had had the unfortunate pleasure to run into a monster without any weapon.

"Oh…" He groaned as he looked down at the creature. It looked horrible. Something lay on the ground in front of it. Holding his nose with one hand, James leaned down and scooped up the object which turned out to be a key. Giving the corpse one last look, he turned away and walked more into the street until the fog covered the sight from him. He was visibly shaking now. The key in his hand had a tag on it. Woodside Apartments.

_Woodside Apartments. _He thought to himself. Suddenly, an idea occurred to him. James pulled out hi map and quickly found Woodside Apartments on the map. His finger followed to the other side of Woodside Apartments that leads to West South Vale. If you were to take that street right outside of the apartments, it would lead you right to Rosewater Park.

_Great! _He though to himself. _All I need to do is go through Woodside Apartments to get to Rosewater Park. Now we're getting somewhere!_

The image of the corpse entered his mind suddenly, stopping his thoughts. He didn't want to end up like that. Maybe he should just—

_No, _He decided firmly, grimly._ I'm going to find Mary._

Pocketing the key and his map, James went back to the end of the street and back onto the intersection. He needed to first go to Katz Street according to his map. James started that way, his mind buzzing. Very faintly, he began to re-play the time he and Mary first realized she was sick. They hadn't thought anything was serious at first, just a cold. Just go to the pharmacist and but some medicine, simple. But back then, everything had seemed simple…

_Mary sat beside him in the car, a tissue held up to her mouth. A cough ran through her body, worst than it had been yesterday. She said it was beginning to hurt her chest to cough._

_James put a comforting hand on her knee as she coughed and kept it there until she calmed down. With a sigh, she leaned back into the seat and closed her eyes. "I hope I don't give it to you." She had murmured softly. She had been up half the night coughing. The dark rings under her eyes confirmed that._

"_Don't worry." He had told her. "I haven't had a cold for years. Immune to them I guess."_

_Mary had laughed, even though her abdomen was still a bit sore from coughing. "So now your superman!"_

_James grinned. "Sure, why not." He had said as he pulled into the grocery store parking lot. James turned off his car and climbed out. Mary came out of her side too, the tissue still pressed against her mouth. She saw the amused look he had given her._

"_I don't want to get anyone else sick!"_

"_Mary, it's just a cold. It's not like your carrying around a fatal disease."_

_With his arm around her shoulder, he led her inside the store. Was it just him, or did her face seem a bit pale, had her beautiful brown hair always seem so limp. _

_They walked over to the pharmacist counter. The person behind the counter glanced up at them._

"_We have a prescription for Mary Sunderland." He had told them. They nodded and came back a few minutes later with the prescription in a paper bag._

_As Mary and James were getting back in the car, Mary had paused before getting in to cough. James shook his head. "You should really do something about that cold Mary." _

_Mary snorted. "Thank you James, but that was pretty obvious to me a few days ago."_

_He had laughed at the remark as he drove out of the parking lot. He had been so sure that the medicine would take care of it that in a few days Mary would be back to her old self. But after the cold had been there for a few weeks longer, James and Mary had to admit that something was wrong. They went to see a doctor whose idea it had been in the first place to admit Mary into the hospital "just for a few harmless tests" that ended up resulting in the knowledge of Mary's disease that ended her life, and James's for all it seemed._

_Here's chapter three for ya. I know it's kinda short but it's a rather long boring story and I don't like explaining but there is a reason._


	4. Woodside Apartments

It was the radio.

James pulled it back out of his pocket and frowned, wondering why it was doing that. There was a

"Ha." James murmured as he stepped inside. He was now outside of the older building. The ground was damp beneath his feet and the slight smell of decaying wood reached his nostrils.

He found the door to the building farther up. It wasn't locked, it opened easily. James walked inside the dark stairwell; it was empty, surprise surprise. James's shoes made squeaky noises that echoed weirdly off the stairwell. It was kind of hard to see without any light, the only windows were on the second floor of the staircase and were covered over with grime and dust that not a ray of light could fall through on the moldy stairwell.

James walked further in and wrapped his arms over his chest. It was so chilly in here. He wondered over to the board on the wall and found the apartment's map.

_I just need to find my way out. _He thought to himself. His first thought was to try the first floor exit, only to find that the door was locked. James realized that getting to South West Val could prove to be harder than he'd expected. Starting up the stairway, James consulted the map and saw that there were only three floors. So then maybe he would have to take the fire stairwell. This second floor door was unlocked and James walked into the hall. Peeling, decaying paint was clinging to the walls. A thick layer of dust had gathered on the floor.

_How long has this place been abandoned? _James wondered as he randomly went to his right. Suddenly, a familiar sound interrupted the silence. His radio! James tightened his grip on his plank and froze, trying to find the monster hidden in the shadows. After a second, a form appeared in the hallway. It walked around blindly, not sensing James's presence. James wondered if he could just wander by it,but saw the hallway was too narrow. Plank ready, he slowly stepped forward, being careful not to make a sound. Sneaking up from behind the monster, James raised his plank and smoothly brought it down the monster's head. The creature crumpled to the ground and started to squirm on its stomach. James hurried by it before it could get him. He ran down the hall and paused to catch a breath. When he looked up, he saw that he was in front of 205. The door was unlocked…

James went inside the apartment, wondering if this counted as trespassing even though there didn't appear to any living there anymore.

It was lighter inside the room and James saw that it was full dismembered mannequin parts. In the center of the room stood a fully clothed mannequin. On the shirt on the mannequin was a flashlight. James reached for the flashlight and pried it of the shirt, realizing he really needed one to find his way around in here. A radio sound came up. Suddenly, at the far corner of the room, something stirred. James glanced up sharply, his heart thudding in his chest. The thing arose to full height, a mannequin with two pairs of legs at the bottom and on the top.

"What-" He instantly raised his plank, trying to keep from falling over. The mannequin monster seem to sense his presence and started toward him, the extra pair of legs kicking in the air.

_That thing could knock me senseless. _He thought uncomfortably. James moved out of the way a little, thinking that the monster would go away to. The monster stayed on course toward him.

_Your light. _He realized. _It can see your light!_

It came closer. Just as James was going to smash it over the head with his board, a leg lashed out, catching him in the ribs.

"Auggh!" He moaned as he fell, gripping his ribcage. The monster closed in and James had to scoot away to avoid being attacked. He felt sick! He was probably going to bsick right there from terror. "No!"

James struggled to his feet and scooted to farthest area from the monster, his hand was shaking so bad he thought he would end up hitting himself instead of the monster. With trembling fingers, he turned off his light and the room instantly became darker.

The mannequin thing paused, slowing down. A bead of sweat slowly dropped down on James's forehead, James didn't move to wipe it away, and he was trying to appear not there. The mannequin seemed satisfied that its prey was gone and moved in a different direction. As soon as it had turned around James was on it. With a powerful swing of his board, James smacked the creature. The creature let out a weird sound and turned on James. Before long, it was laying on the ground in its own blood. Sweat poured down James's forehead. The monster did not move, blood was coming from it.

_What is it? _James wondered in a daze, his legs wobbling. He had asked himself that already, but couldn't remember getting an answer.

James walked away from the dead thing an turned back on his flashlight. Welcoming light filled the room and James saw the clothed mannequin out of the corner of his eyes. Walking closer and holding the flashlight up to it, he now saw that the outfit stirred a memory. Hadn't Mary worn that quarter length peach-pink shirt with the white collar? Didn't she use to own a pink print flower skirt with pale green leaves that went well with her light brown hair and brought out her blue eyes? Why was it here?

James shivered, wondering if this meant that Mary was somewhere here. Silently, he left the room and was back in the hallway. James went further down the hallway and came to the next that appeared to have nothing of interest. Though he did find some hand bullets and he deeply wished he could find a gun. The other rooms didn't hold anything else so James went back to the other direction. As James went further down he hall, he saw that there was another hallway leading to his right. James followed it and tried the first door he saw but it wouldn't budge.

_The lock must be broken. _He thought to himself. Venturing further, he tried different doors, but so many of them seemed to be locked or else there was nothing there. The last room door was open and James went inside. As soon as he walked in, he heard a static sound. Instantly raising his board, he looked around carefully to see what was there. Then he saw that it was only the TV that showed snow.

_I'm becoming paranoid. _He thought.

As he proceeded into the adjoining room he saw that nothing was there either. On the wall however, three names were scratched into the wall paper. James went closer to have a better look.

_Henry _

_Mildred_

_Scott_

James stood away. Henry Mildred Scott? Who was that? Or who were they? Next to each name was a line pointed at a different angle. Shaking his head, James wandered out of the room and back up the hall. James headed to the third floor.

The third floor was by far the creepiest apartment floor he had ever seen. It was darker than the second floor, the walls seemed to moan, and a cold draft blew through the hall. As he entered the floor, to his right were some bars that separated the hallways. Something shiny caught his eye. On the other side of the bars was a key!

_Where does that lead to? _James got on his knees and put his hand through the bar and began to slowly grope, trying to reach the key with his fingertips.

_Come on, come on. _He said in his head as his fingers inched closer and closer to the key. _Almost there._

The sounds of footsteps were heard. A figure appeared in the doorway. At first James thought that it was another monster, but the figure was too small. A little blonde girl darted out of the room and into the hallway. Before James could reach it, she had kicked the key away from James's reach and stepped on his hand. Pain shot through his hand, was it broken?

"Hey!" James called out after her angrily.

The girl didn't stop to apologize, she just kept running. "Ha-ha!" She called back in a taunting voice. The key was now way out of his reach.

"Damn!" James cursed angrily.

With a scowl, he stood and looked down at his hurt hand. It wasn't broken, he'd live, but there would probably be an ugly bruise. With another curse, he walked down the hallway, trying every door that came into sight. Almost all of them had broken locks.

_What is a little girl doing here? _James wondered to himself.

The last door, three oh one, was open and James went inside. As soon as he got a look around, his breath came out in a whoosh at the sight. It looked as though there had been a gun fight in there before the occupants had left. Used bullets lay scattered all over the floor, bullet holes covered the walls. In the middle of the room there lay a shopping cart. James ran a nervous hand through his dirty blonde hair and moved closer toward the shopping cart and peered into its contents.

There was a handgun.

James picked it up eagerly with monsters in his thoughts, but was disappointed to find that it was empty.

_Well, that's a disappointment. _He thought to himself bitterly. Though maybe there were some un-used bullets still lying around here. James scouted out the room for some, but found that who ever had lived here had used up all of their bullets.

_Maybe I'll find some in the town. _James thought as he pocketed the gun.

There didn't appear to be much else much else in the room of interest, so James left. The hallway on the third floor seemed so creepy, as if it were alive. It sounded like it was breathing.

James hurried back to the second and gave the hallways a quick look to make sure he was alone. His flashlight illuminated in front of him, giving the quiet hallway an eerie glow. If there were any monsters, they'd see his light. James passed the fork in the hallway when he suddenly heard a strange noise coming down from there.


	5. Executioner

James turned upon hearing the noise.

_What was that? _He wondered to himself. _It seems to be coming be coming from down this hallway._

James hurried down the hallway from where the noise had seemed to come from. At first, everything seemed fine; until he neared the back of the hallway that was separated with another set of bars did he see what lay behind the bars.

"Oh my…!" James stopped dead when he saw the giant monster looming in the hall. "What…?" James instantly raised his gun, and then remembered that he had no bullets. He only had his board. The monster had a large pyramid where his head should have been and he wore a blood-stained apron. James waited to see if the monster would attack him, but it only stood, James wasn't even sure if it saw him.

_Should I just keep on walking? _James wondered to himself?

Slowly and deliberately, James walked forward, waiting to see how the creature reacted.

_It looks like a human. _James thought to himself. _But he doesn't seem to have a head._

James slowly opened the door to the last room and stepped inside. It was the room with the TV on snow. James wandered more into the room when he suddenly an odd smell in there that wasn't in there before. That wasn't all; the whole atmosphere in the room seemed different somehow. Also, there was a long dark smudge on the floor from behind the sitting chair…

_Oh man. _James thought to himself as a feeling of dread settled into his stomach. Walking closer, he saw that the chair was no longer vacant; someone was sitting _very_ still in the chair. James didn't want to see, he wanted the chair to remain unseen, and he couldn't let anymore of it into his mind. But still, there could very well be someone dead in that chair, or almost dead, what was he suppose to do?

_I won't check yet. _He decided firmly to himself. _I'll check it out before I leave._

Without a sound, James hurried into the next room, a grim look in his green eyes. He found himself staring at the inscription on the walls again.

_What does that mean? _He wondered.

Against the wall, he caught sight of a grand father clock, grand and old looking. James went over to the clock, it reminded him of the one that he and his family had James was a young boy. At night, he would always wake up when it chimed at midnight, always. It had been so loud. Now, as James examined the clock, he noticed a slight hole behind the clock, too big to be there on accident. James brought his flashlight up to the hole and tried shining it through. No wall reflected back, but it was too small to tell for sure.

_This clocks a door. _James realized.

He tried to push it away, tried to get into the room behind it, but it wouldn't budge. It wasn't like it was stuck though; it just seemed that it purposely did not move. James straightened up, noticed an inscription on the side of the clock.

H

M

S

James grinned, having realized the puzzle. _H M S! Henry Mildred Scott! The names on the wall! _

The lines on the wall represented the time. He just needed to turn the hands on the clock to match the lines on the wall. When James tried to open the clock face, it didn't budge.

_What? _James tried again harder this time, but it stayed perfectly intact. Next to the clock face was a small…keyhole? Yes, it was a keyhole. So now James needed to find a key to go into the keyhole. But where was he going to get a key?

_There must be something here to tell me where to get a key for this thing. _James mused as he started searching the room. He walked back into the first room and gaveit a sweep. He decided the book shelf would be best to look first for there were always things hidden in bookshelves. To his delight, he found a key, but it wasn't to the clock, it was to room two oh two.

_Wait a minute. _James thought to himself. _This key wasn't here before. Neither was that guy. _

James turned a looked long and hard at the man sitting in the chair. If there was anyone at all. Shining his light, he discovered that the smudge from his chair was indeed red. Blood. With each footstep as soft as a mouse, James went closer to investigate and see what was there. When he saw the human in the chair covered in blood, his heart nearly stopped.

_Who could have done such a thing? _James wondered to himself wildly.

James turned, he couldn't look at it any longer. He walked away from the grisly scene and walked out of the room. It was really painful to think that he had to go back in there. He located room two oh two and stepped inside. There didn't appear to be any monsters. James checked the first room then wandered in to the second room.

_Whoa!_ James thought as he stepped into the bedroom. It was dark except for his light but there was a greenish glow coming from somewhere in the room and moths or some kind of bugs were flying everywhere.

_Eech. _James thought as he moved closer into the room. Why had this room's key been in the dead guys room? James certainly didn't want to be in here. With a sigh, he started to look through the room. He noticed a hole in the wall next to the bed and thought about checking it out.

_Do I really have too…? _He wondered uneasily, imagining some creature lurking in it. _Well…_

With a nervous gulp, James reached his hand into the hole and began to feel around then quickly pulled out his hand.

"Whoa!" He said, a bit surprised. With a grunt, he put his hand back in and successfully pulled out a key.

_The clock key. _He realized to himself. He couldn't help but smile little as he randomly remembered a memory about Mary. About when they had first decided to go somewhere on vacation and Silent Hill had seemed like the perfect spot.

"_James." Mary said softly as she slid in next him on the couch in their living room. _

_James glanced at his wife and knew by the smile on her face that she was about to ask him for something. With another mysterious smile, she slid a brochure onto his lap and scooted closer to make sure that he read it at that minute._

"_What's this?" James asked as he picked up the brochure and quirked one eyebrow._

"_Just read." She encouraged him gently._

_James glanced down at the brochure that had Silent Hill printed across the top with a picture of a lake surrounded by trees on the front. "Silent Hill," He read out loud. "The most peaceful resort town in America."_

"_I was looking online for a place to go for the weekend like we were talking about and I came across Silent Hill." Mary explained as she ran a hand through her soft brown hair. Her blue eyes scanned the cove of the brochure a sparkle went through her eyes. "Doesn't' this place sound nice?"_

"_I suppose so," James said as he began to leaf through the brochure. Each page had colorful pictures of the town. One was publicizing the Lakeview Hotel. James paused to read the small article on it._

"_Should you decide to stay with us, we recommend the Lakeview Hotel for visitors. This beautiful hotel gives the guest a chance to enjoy the charm of the little town and ads a taste of elegance at the same time. The hotel has over forty rooms including two restaurants and a garden out back. Not to mention the glorious view of Toluca Lake every guest gets to enjoy. For more information call 1-897-543-7000 and for reservations. was hoping we could stay there if we went." Mary said hopefully as she pointed at the picture of large hotel. _

"_It does sound nice." James aid as he leafed through the rest of brochure. After looking through the whole thing, James had to admit that it did look nice. It was decided they would spend a weekend there._

James stuck the key into clock's keyhole and was then able to turn the hands. He matched the hands to the markings on the wall which came out as nine ten. As soon as they were matched up perfectly, James hear a click from the clock.

_Does that mean I can move it now? _James wondered to himself hopefully. With a grunt, he tried again the move the clock to the side and this time, it moved! Behind it, a large hole, just big enough for James to fit through was revealed. James eagerly went through the hole and ended up in another room on the other side of the apartment.

His light told him that the room was empty and the his radio remained quiet. The only sound was the fading of the TV as James went further and further away from it. He shuddered when he thought of the body lying in the chair, blood smearing the floors, how the figure stared so blankly at the TV but never really saw any of it.

James was now walking into the other side of Woodside Apartments. It seemed a bit strange to James that all the apartments seemed to have a connection to one another. James wondered if the people who lived here did it like that on purpose.

James headed up to the third floor and found handgun bullets lying around on the floor.

_That's an odd place to leave them._ James thought to himself with a slight chuckle. He picked them up and loaded the gun with them. It felt so powerful in his hands, so heavy. Just pull of the small trigger on the gun and so much damage could be done. He prayed he wouldn't have to use it that much. He wished he didn't have to use it at all. James also collected the key that that little girl had kicked away. He wondered again what the hell a little girl was doing here in a town full of monsters. After walking around a little more, James found himself in front of room three oh seven. There was something in that room James heard. What was it?

James cautiously opened the door, his gun ready. At first he saw nothing, and then, the scene lay in front of him.

"Oh my-" James choked as he glimpsed the horrid scene in front of him. Two monsters, the red pyramid head thing and the mannequin creatures were battling, viciously killing each other although it seemed like an unfair fight? "Holy-"

James crept nearer to the closet with his stomach in his throat…he was going to be sick!

_Please don't turn around and see me! _He thought to himself as he got closer to the closet. His hand found the knob and he began to jiggle it to open. _Please don't! _Finally, the door open and James noiselessly crept inside. From there, the entire bloody scene was visible to him through the cracks.

The pyramid head appeared to be killing the mannequin brutally, dragging it's corpse over to the middle of the room. James watched as sweat poured from his forehead and his heart hammered loudly in his chest. The room seemed to swirl around him, making him want to barf all over the place but he mustn't is wanted to remain unseen.

The pyramid finally let go of the corpse and walked out into the middle of the room. It stopped suddenly and reached up toward its pyramid shaped helmet and grasped it, moving its body at an awkward angle as though it were in pain.

_What do I do? _James wondered desperately as he looked around the closet which wasn't very big.

_The gun! _He suddenly remembered as he felt the cold object in his hand. James lifted the gun to the largest crack in the closet door and aimed until he was on target. James used a gun a few times in his life, his father had taught him how, and now it was time to put the knowledge to use.

James pulled the trigger.

A bullet flew out of the gun with a loud _bang_, and hit the pyramid head on target, but it stayed upright as though it had never been hit at all.

_Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang._

The pyramid head seemed stunned for a moment each time every bullet hit him, but not for long. It simply would not die.

James prepared for another shot, but when he pulled the trigger this time, it only made a empty sound signaling it needed more ammo.

_Not now! _James glanced up helplessly at the pyramid head, seeing what he would do next. What should happen if he found him?

The pyramid head hardly glanced at his direction however (If he even had underneath his helmet.). It picked up something on the floor, the biggest knife James had ever seen that appeared to be about seven feet long and three feet wide, and dragged the knife out of the room.

James remained where he was for a few more seconds after the monster had left. He was numb with fear, with the knowledge that he had come across something that could not die with these bullets like the other monsters.

It seemed safe to go out now, but for how long? James opened the closet door, letting more light into it and stumbled out, trying not to stare at the creature's copses. The room spun around him for a moment, his stomach threatened him to be sick. James grimaced and bent over, waiting for the dizziness to pass. Slowly, the black spots appeared before his eyes, numbness crept over him, and then he was falling through a black void.

_I'm falling. _He thought to himself. _Someone, Mary, help me!_

Mary's face appeared before him suddenly, a transparent form of her. She was smirking at him, making him feel miserable though he didn't know why.

"_Mary!" _He tried calling out, but he couldn't say anything, he couldn't even scream when he reached the bottom and felt his leg's crunch under him.

"Mary!"

James sat up on the floor where he had been lying, the idea of screaming still ripe in his head. Slowly, he looked around, and realized that it had only been a dream, he had fainted. His leg was asleep.

_How long have I been here? _James wondered as he gave his leg a shake. Slowly, he straightened up and leaned against the wall for support. He cursed softly under his breath and pushed off the wall, finding that the dizziness had passed.

_Oh Mary, _James found himself thinking. _Why didn't you try to help me?_

_You never tried to help her. _

James was startled at the answer that he seemed to have given himself. Why on Earth did he say that? What could _he_ have done to help her? She was so sick and frail, he had been afraid that just touching her would make her break into dust.

_A/N-Ok, yes I know I am skipping and will be skipping some stuff in the story from the game because I don't have the patience to reiterate the entire game. But if anyone doesn't like that, please tell me and I'll do the best I can to satisfactory. I will mostly keep the same dialogue however and characters and the places. Please leave a review telling me what I'm doing wrong or right however._


	6. The Lost Soul

James tried the door with the key marked COURTYARD and found that the key fit the lock.

"Yes." He murmured to himself as the door opened.

James stepped outside into the chilly, foggy air and sighed, realizing how glad he was to breathe in the fresher air as opposed to the stale air with the scent of decay. He could hardly see in front of him. He began walking forward, the weight of the handgun was menacing, making him fully realize the danger, yet still a large comfort.

It seemed a bit weird to him, he didn't know why he was suddenly thinking about it at a time like this, but guns were as twofaced as a human might be. They are either there to hurt you or to protect you. They can inflict pain, or cause a great deal of comfort. It was just a thought anyway; he didn't even know why he thought it.

The form of a chain linked fence came into view, and soon a large hole in the fenced area.

_It's a pool. _James thought. _But there's no water._

James walked further toward the fence and glimpsed around the pool area. It was as ordinary as any swimming pool area might be. It was very large with lounging chairs and umbrellas scattered around the area. The gate opened with a _creak_. James walked inside the area and looked curiously around the pool. He didn't know why but, it just seemed so…ordinary. _Real_ people had once swam in here, people who lived ordinary lives, people who didn't know anything of the evils of the town, people who died and stayed dead. James could already see the picture, a sunny day here and very hot. Woodside Apartment occupants coming out of the building with bright towels and bags wearing bathing suits. They talked with neighbors, swam some, never with a care in the world. James shook his head, washing away the thought.

The radio went off again. James looked up, his hand immediately tightening around the handgun. It was suddenly his best friend. Three dark figures were walking around in the swimming pool, the ones with no arms. There was another object sitting in the swimming pool. A baby carriage.

_Why is that there? _James wondered to himself. He could also see that there was something in there, what was it? James crept closer to the pool, aiming his gun at the creatures. Just as he was at the edge, his foot slipped on a wet patch at the edge of the pool and James fell in.

_Thunk!_

"Damn!" He cursed as pain went up his bottom side. With a groan, he got to his feet and grasped the edge of the pool, rubbing where he had landed. His radio was going crazy now, but his gun, where had it gone? He must have dropped it when he fell. He had to find it!

_Come on, where did it go? _James sank lower to the ground and shined his flashlight closer to the ground, though it did him no good. One of the figures was hurrying toward him as fast it seemed it could go. The monster's had a dance of their own those straightjacket demons. James watched in shock as they came toward him, its back bent backwards and its right side jutted more to the right then it came up back again, preparing to attack poor James.

_Dammit. _James thought as he backed away and began to hurriedly scan the floor for the stupid handgun, nut it had fallen out of sight. No wait, there it was! James could see it, lying just a few feet away from the baby carriage. James moved out of the way as straightjacket demon came closer to him. It tilted its back back and made a hissing noise, preparing to spew out the acidic spray. James just nearly past it and he slipped again and fell onto the hard, cold surface of the pool. Green grime softened his fall this time, allowing him to jump right back up. As quickly as he could, James scooped up his gun from the slimy ground and turned around, aiming the weapon at the designated target which was about four feet away.

_Bang! Bang!_

The straightjacket demon fell down and began to squirm around on the filthy ground. James took his opportunity and grabbed the object and paper that was sitting in the baby carriage and took off. James ran up the stairs out of the pool near him and was out of the pool area. James hoped that the monsters didn't know how to climb the stairs.

_Don't look back._

James slowed and looked down at the key that he had just swiped. The tag attached to it was marked FIREESCAPE. There was also a letter that was lying in the carriage that he had picked up as well. It was cream colored paper folded and…smelled of something. James paused and sniffed the letter, inhaling the scent of fresh flowers. Perfume, but not just any perfume, _Spring. Spring_ had been Mary's favorite perfume and she had worn it almost everyday. James had given it to her as a Valentines Day present, along with chocolates.

_Did Mary write this? _He wondered to himself as he eagerly opened the letter and began to read.

_The only thing I can think about anymore is the sun; I haven't seen it in so long. My hospital room has no windows and the only light I see are the lights above my head and the lights in my dreams, though I am having less now, or else their nightmares. I'm afraid to look in the mirrors anymore, I'm afraid to see what I've become. Oh, all I want is my husband to come to me. James, where are you?_

_Mary did write this! _James thought excitedly. _She is alive; she really is here, waiting for me! _

How had she known that James would the letter though? James wondered this briefly, but he was still too excited to think straight. It didn't look like a note, maybe a diary. James vaguely remembered the thick red book with the gold lock sitting on the night table beside Mary. When he had asked her what it was, she had just said that he would soon see it when the time was right, whatever that meant.

James safely tucked the paper into his breast pocket, right next to Mary's picture and the letter, and kept on walking forward. A building loomed ahead of him in the fog, though it wasn't Woodside Apartments, it was a different building and the door was unlocked. James walked inside, curious as to whether this would lead him to Rosewater. It was a dark hallway with doors on the walls.

_It's another apartment building. _James realized as he walked further in, his light reflecting of the decaying rust covered walls. James chose one direction randomly and stopped all most immediately in front of a room. Room one oh one. James walked inside the room, being careful to listen for the sound of static by his radio. When he heard none, he walked in more, feeling a bit more at ease, but there was still something wrong.

_What the…_James walked in further. _Oh my…_

"What happened?" He murmured to himself. His green eyes were wide with fright, a frown settling on his face. In the kitchen area in the apartment, the refrigerator had fallen over, and someone had been lucky enough to be in its path. James backed up a few steps, suddenly overcome with nausea. The persons legs were poking out from under the giant machine, they had been dead awhile.

James's ears caught the sound of something suddenly, in the next room. It was making weird sounds. Gun at the ready, James slowly went over to the door from which the sound was coming from. It sounded awful; it did nothing for James's stomach.

_Whatever it_ is_, James_ thought grimly. _It's making me feel sick._

James paused in front of the door and took a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever lay behind the door, and slowly opening it to find, much to his relief, someone just as human as he was.

A man easily twenty pounds overweight sat on the floor in front of the toilet, vomiting out his stomach contents. He was wearing a striped red shirt and a baseball cap pulled backwards. James hovered in the doorway, feeling a bit sick himself. The man on he ground seemed to sense him and turned his head around, looking suspiciously at James with cold grey eyes. His blond hair was matted to his forehead with sweat. The next second, he went back to the toilet and gagged, throwing up again. James just stood there, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"It wasn't me!" The man exclaimed between gags. "I didn't do it!" He coughed noisily and bent over further and groaned.

"Didn't do what?" James asked, wondering what the man could have possible done that had made him so violently ill. He didn't seem like the man who would do something wrong, more like a clumsy man.

"I didn't do anything!" The man continued, still hunched over the toilet. "I, I swear! He was like this when I got here!"

James walked a bit further into the cramped bathroom, his stomach churning as he glanced at the toilet's contents. "My uh, my name is James. James Sunderland." James said, trying to be friendly and not seem so straight forward.

The man coughed. "Ummm…Eddie." Eddie said, sounding like he was going to repeat his performance.

"Eddie," James said, trying not to stare at the toilet again. "Who's that dead guy I the kitchen?"

Eddie began to vomit again. "I didn't do it! I swear I didn't kill anyone!"

_I never said you did. _James thought to himself. "You're not friends with the red pyramid thing are you?" James asked, trying to purposely steer the conversation in a different direction.

"Red pyramid thing?" James asked, turning around again to look at James. "I don't know what yer talkin about." He resumed his position at the toilet, his chubby hands grasping the sides for dear life. "Honest. But I did see some weird-looking things." He explained, then gagged. "They scared the hell outta me, so I ran in here." Eddie bent back over the toilet.

"Well," James said with a sigh. "I guess this place isn't too safe either." James crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at Eddie. "What happened here anyways?"

Eddie did a slight movement that could have been a shrug, or else it was a heave. "Uh I, I told ya, I don't know. I'm not even from this town! I just, I just…" He couldn't seem to able to describe why he was here, like he didn't really know why he had come. James understood this; after all, he was searching for his wife that had been dead for the last three years.

_But she must be alive. _He reminded himself. _I have proof…that she is here!_

"You too huh," James asked. "Something just brought you here, right?"

Eddie let out a sigh, his thick torso relaxing. Ummm…yeah. You could say that…" Another tremor went through his body. Eddie bent his head down.

"Well, whatever it is," James said, straightening up. "I think you had better get out of here soon."

Eddie didn't argue. "Yeah, yer right. What about you?" He asked, sounding a bit cold suddenly.

James hand automatically went to his breast pocket. He could hear the gentle rustle of the papers that resided in there. "I'll leave as soon as I'm done here." James began to back out of the bathroom. "Eddie…be careful." He cautioned, though it really hadn't been necessary for him to remind Eddie. James started to walk away.

Eddie was still on the ground in front of the toilet, looking very pale. "James, I…, I…um," James turned around and patiently waited for what Eddie had to stay. Eddie was looking at him looking like he had something to say to him. Then, he suddenly turned away, deciding against it. "You be careful to." He said.

James nodded and went back into the room. He purposely avoided the decaying corpse underneath the fridge, but found a pack of handgun bullets lying on the counter. James went back into the hallway and began to try all the doors, finding most of them locked.

_I need to find my way out. _James thought to himself. _Where is this exit in this building? _

James headed upstairs next. Almost as soon as he reached upstairs, his radio went off. A straight jacket demon came his way, but James hardly glanced at it. He shot it three times before it went down, then ran over and crushed the head underneath the heel o his shoe. He was no longer scared of the monsters. To him, they only represented something that kept him from getting to Mary; and that made him mad.

_There must an exit somewhere here. _He thought to himself. He headed further down the hallway, pausing every so often to check the door locks in hopes of finding some ammo. He did find some handgun ammo, and stocked it up in his pocket where it would wait. Next, he went down the other hallway and found with an EXIT sign hanging over the doorframe, still faintly lit up.

_Is this it? _James wondered. He tried the door, but it appeared to be locked. Suddenly, he remembered his key that he had found in the baby carriage. James picked up the key from his pocket and placed it into the lock, finding it fit. The door was now opened. With a small whoosh of air through his teeth, he opened the door marked EXIT and stared at mild surprise at the doorway that was clearly not an exit.

_What the hell is this? _He wondered.

Instead of an exit stairway to outside, there was just a doorway leading to outside two stories above the ground. About three feet away was an opened window, just within arms reach.

_I can get across there. _He thought to himself. _I just need to be very, very careful. _James glanced down nervously, realizing the gap between the two buildings was just big enough or him to fall through and go crashing to the bottom. James took a deep breath and reached out to grasp the window panes. His hands shook a little as he tightened his grasp, and hesitated before pushing off. With a slight grunt, James's feet left the ground and pushed upward, smoothly putting himself through the window into another bedroom.

James realized he had been holding his breath nervously. He let it out in a whoosh and stepped more forward into the room, trying to steady his trembling legs. He was now in a bedroom. James looked around the room, not finding really anything of interest except for a brochure for Silent Hill. James picked up the brochure and began to leaf through it, realizing that he had read this before.

_Unlike most resort towns, Silent Hill's history runs as deep as the neighboring lake, Toluca Lake. The town was supposedly originally settled on by Indians. The lake was used for many strange rituals. The lake was once known as The Blood Lake supposedly due to the odd rituals that were performed in that area by earlier settlers, although it is unknown exactly what rituals they did then. _

James found particular interest in that one article although he had never really taken much interest in learning about cults and their strange beliefs. But, this town, what did really happen then? What was happening now? Did the past tie with the future here? What unfortunate fate did the once peaceful town meet?

_And Mary, _He thought quickly. _Why are you here? Why did you lure me here?_

James sighed and set the brochure down. Why, why, why. His head was starting to hurt again, throb was more like it. James didn't usually get headaches, but today, they just kept coming and going.

There was nothing else in the room, so James headed out into the hall. The door closed silently behind him. Like all the other hallways, this one was no exception. Lucky for him, he found a mannequin creature in the hall. James hot it and easily killed it without James walked down the hall, occasionally trying each door. At the end of the hall was the exit door, but it was locked. James Sunderland sighed; the day just wasn't getting any easier.

He turned around and walked further down the hall, stepping around the mannequin's corpse. One room was locked with a note hanging on the door telling someone that they left for a few hours and if they need to get into the room they could get the key from someone else's room. James decided that there was nothing else on that floor and headed down one floor.

The next room, one oh five, was unlocked and James went inside and looked around, making sure the coast was clear. He walked further in, his footsteps echoing off the decaying walls. A map sat on the table that read Blue Creek Apartments.

_Blue Creek Apartments? _He wondered.

James gave the room one last look before heading back toward the door. As he passed the closet though, a soft scent floated to his nostrils. James paused and looked into the closet where the smell had come from. Taped to the back of the closet was a piece of paper, the scent of _Spring_ had been sprayed onto the paper. James took the paper off the wall and held it gently in his hands and began to read.

_I had a dream last night, the first one I had had in a while. I was sitting by a creek in a green valley where the sky was a color blue like I had never seen. Everything was so calm, I was so happy. It was like I wasn't sick anymore, all the pain was gone. When I turned back around, James was standing behind me. He held out his hand and I took it, I felt do glad to have things back again. He began to lead me away from the creek and took me to our car. We were going somewhere, but I couldn't remember where, except that I wanted to go there. Once I was there, I knew the sickness would be completely gone. Then I wok up, and I was still in the hospital. I hope the doctors tell us what's wrong with me soon; I want to go wherever I went in my dream._

James sighed and put the letter back on the wall. This diary entry was before he and Mary learned the disease she was ill with was terminal. Before that's he had been full of so much hope often talking about what would happen when she got better and went home.

There was nothing else in that room James thought needed to be investigated, so he left. The next few rooms were locked except for room one oh nine. Handgun bullets sat on the coach. James picked them up, thinking in his mind that he might need as many as he could get. There was a door connecting to the next bedroom that was unlocked. James stepped inside the bedroom, finding that it was a large room with full length mirrors covering one side of the wall. James walked in a bit more, suddenly realizing that he wasn't the only person in the room. At the floor next to the mirror lay the girl from the cemetery. She dangled a kitchen knife in front of her face with a weird glaze in her eyes.


	7. The Saddened Soul

"Oh, its you." The girl said, sounding disappointed. She was facing the mirror with the knife right in front of her face, staring intently at the blade.

James walked further into the room. "Yeah, I'm James." He said, trying to sound friendlier for some reason, trying turn the girl away from whatever demons she was seeing.

The girl was silent for a moment. "Angela." She said.

"Angela…okay." James said, coming closer. It was making him nervous the way Angela stared so intently at the knife, like she was thinking long and hard, or else she had made up her mind and was just waiting… "I don't know what you're planning, but there's only another way."

Angela sighed and scowled at her own reflection. "Really?" She asked, her voice sounding tired. "But, your just the same as me, it's always easier to just run." Her voice took on a darker, sadder tone. "Besides, it's what we deserve."

James's green eyes widen. He couldn't believe that anyone would ever think… "No…I'm not like you."

Angela appeared to find this amusing. "Are you afraid?" She asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm and mockery as she started to sit up. Her reflection gave him a mocking grin. Suddenly, her hand went to her face and the grin was replaced with a slight grimace. "I, I'm sorry." She said quickly in her normal voice, looking a tad ashamed.

"No, it's okay." James said in his most assuring voice, feeling more sympathetic tan mad for the poor confused girl. "Did you find your mother?" He asked, trying to change the subject.

"Not yet," Angela said sadly. "She's not anywhere."

"Did she live in this apartment building?" James asked.

Angela sighed again. "I don't know…"

"So all you know is that she lived in this town." He ventured, trying to get a straight answer.

Angela looked up at him quickly, her face registering suspicion. "What did you say?" She asked, her brown eyes narrowed. "How do you know that?"

"Well," James said, a bit surprised by her sudden mood swing. "I just figured because this is where you're looking for her." He said. "How else would I know?"

Angela seemed satisfied; she looked down and folded up her knees. The knife in her hand was slung over one knee, dangling so carelessly from her hand, the blade so shiny… "Yeah." She finally said.

"Am I right?"

Angela groaned and put her hand to her head. "I'm so tired." She said.

_Did she just purposely change the subject? _James wondered. When Angela said nothing else, he tried again. "So, why did you come to this town anyway?"

Angela winced slightly and looked down shamefully at the ground. "…I, I'm sorry." She apologized. "Did you find…the person you're looking for?"

James removed the letter from out of his breast pocket and moved closer to Angela, holding the picture out in front of her face. "Her name is Mary, she's my wife…" Angela stared at the picture for a few seconds then sadly shook her head. "I'm sorry."

James sighed and tucked the picture back away, feeling hope die down. "It's okay." He told her, turning away for a second. "Anyway, she's dead. I don't know why I think she's here."

Angela's head popped up, she looked astounded. "…She's dead?" she asked a bit incredulously, her face paling for a split second. James shifted uncomfortably on his feet, wondering why he had bothered to bring that up. Could it be…he was trying to convince _himself_ that Mary was really dead, she wasn't really here?

He looked up, and suddenly realized that Angela was staring at him with the most oddest expression. "Don't worry," James said, holding up his hands, as though trying to convince himself. "I'm not crazy, at least, I don't think I am." There was a few seconds of silence. Angela finally stood from the floor, casting him another cautious look.

"I-I have to go find my mama." Angela said, walking toward the door.

"Do you want me to go with you?" James offered. "This town is dangerous, now I know what you meant back there in the cemetery."

Angela looked at him carefully. Maybe she still thought he was crazy, or maybe there was just something more to it. "I'll be okay by myself. Besides, I'd just slow you down." She offered, backing away towards the door.

Once again, the light hit the blade of the knife, making it glint evilly. James swallowed hard and pointed to her knife. "What about that?"

Angela glanced down at her knife a mask of pain came over her face. She forced her gaze away from it and looked up at James with pleading eyes as though asking…asking to be saved?

"Will you hold it for me?" She asked him in timid voice. Her eyes pleaded and argued with him, asking for different things.

James smiled, trying to look friendly, but it came out as sad. "Sure. No problem."

Angela glanced back down at it. "If I kept it, I'm afraid what I might do with it." She said softly, sounding like a little girl. James gave her an understanding nod. A light blanket of relief came across her face.

James reached out his hand toward the knife, offering to take it. A weird glaze sprang into Angela's eyes suddenly, a frightened look on her face materialized. "No!" She shouted, drawing the knife back protectively in front of her abdomen as though defending herself. James jumped in surprised, thinking she may be ready to drive the blade through his middle. "I'm sorry…I've been bad…please don't…" Angela cried out. She placed the knife on the table next to the door and hurried out of the room, her pleas echoing in James's ear.

_What was that about? _James wondered, bewildered. He stepped forward and picked up the knife from the table, a chill creeping up his spine. The blade on the knife was stained red, but from what? James wondered as he set the knife back down on the table. A key that lay on the table caught his attention. The key was marked 209.

_209. _James mused. _The apartment that was locked._

James placed the key in his pocket and started to exit the room, the sight of the knife out of the corner of his eye stopped him. Maybe…he should take it. What if Angela came back, what if…James scowled and picked up the knife, examining it. Whose blood was this? It wasn't a very large knife, it easily fit into James's large pocket.

_I told Angela I would hold on to it for her. _James thought. _Not leave it out where she can find it and…_

James took the knife.

He exited the room and went back into the still, quiet hallway. He made his way back in front of room 209 and fitted the key into the lock. James stepped inside the apartment, realizing it was chillier than most of the rooms in here. He saw why. The balcony door had been left open, exposing all the cold air. James walked out onto the balcony and looked out at what should have been Silent Hill, the sky and fog were the same, it was only a sheet of gray.

James coughed and moved over the balcony, for some reason lost in the gray mist, being pulled further into it. He was no in front of another room, with the balcony door opened. James gave the endless fog one last glance before ducking into the other room. A bed lay in the middle of the room which wasn't very big. James saw that on the bed a key lay on top of a piece of paper. James went over and picked up the key from the bed, examining it in his hands. FIRE ESCAPE KEY. A smile spread across James's face, softening it for just a second before returning to its usual hard, rough appearance. There it was her scent…

James cleared hi throat distractedly and lifted the letter from the bed, allowing the sickening sweet odor to fill his nostrils. Suddenly, he lifted the paper closer to his nose and inhaled again, this time more deeply and longer, welcoming the scent of fresh flowers to fill him for a second, bringing him to tears. Damn, he loved Mary so much. Why had she left? Why was she back?

_Mary._

James hurriedly opened up the letter and read.

_The pain in my back is only getting worse; I can barely sit up in bed anymore. I'm so frightened; what is happening? Today I got the scare of a lifetime. James had come to visit me (He bought me roses this time.) and was called out into the hallway by the doctor. They were out for a long time, maybe ten minutes. Afterwards, James walked back into the room looking like he needed more medical attention than me. I asked him what was happening, but he wouldn't tell me. He wouldn't even look at me. Finally, when he was about to leave, I pulled his face toward me, forcing him to look into my eyes, and kissed him softly. At first, he didn't react. Then he started to cry, no, weep. I had never seen James cry like this, and then he just hurried out of the room. I'm so scared now; I know its bad news._

_I remember that day. _James thought to himself. _I remember that. They told me Mary was going to die then, and I just couldn't take it._

James grimly placed the letter back down on the bed and hurried out of the room back onto the balcony. Once again, the endless gray dragged him in further and further, as though trying to consume him. For one moment, James forgot about everything and his mind went dead, lost in the sea of gray. He snapped out of it and gave his head a rough shake, trying to wake back up. He muttered softly under his breath and went back into the other room and back into the hallway.

It wasn't hard to find the fire escape, a dimly lit sign sat at the end of the hallway. James walked over to it, cautious of any creatures that might be lurking in the distance. As strange as it was, he wasn't quite as afraid as before, of course, when he was fighting, his heart rate sped up, but it was almost as though he…needed it? Needed it for what? To get out his anger? Why had he been angry? So many questions. James grimaced and put a hand to his head, he was only confusing himself further.

He tried the key in the lock o the fire escape and heard the beautiful sound of the door unlocking. Unfortunately for James, he believed his ordeal was half over. He thought from now on, he would waltz into the park, grab Mary, tell her how much he missed her, and they would both escape the town unhurt. He didn't now of half the madness of Silent Hill or the horrible fate that awaited him.

James hurriedly stepped into the room and shut the door behind him.

But he wasn't alone.

_Something_ was already there.

James took one look at the scene and his hand instantly gripped tighter around his hand gun. Pyramid Head stood in the room, the dead carcass of a straight jacket demon, bloodied, lay in its hands. The demon dropped its prey onto the ground.

A tight feeling in his chest awoke him from his hazy state. James backed up and put his hand on the door knob exiting the room, only to find it was locked from the outside. It was too late; the Pyramid Head was already starting toward him, dragging the longest knife James had ever seen that made a horrible grating sound as it crossed the floor. James glanced over to his left and saw that the staircase was nearby. He quickly dove hurried over to the and stepped down one step just as freezing cold water pierced through his jean leg. James gasped and pulled his pant leg out, realizing that the entire stairway was filled with water. He was trapped!

There was only one choice left. James raised the handgun and aimed it directly at the Pyramid Head's helmet and shot it three times in a row. The bullets bounced off the odd helmet with a hollow _ping_ and the monster stopped for a few seconds, his back arching backwards for a few seconds as he paused and cringed in pain. James lowered the gun for a second, his breath coming out hard as he watched. It did no good. The Pyramid Head was coming back at him.

James tired the gun again, this time aimed at the creature's stomach, but he recovered in a second again. James felt his hope sink and his stomach rise; there was nothing he could do, he was the one trying not to be killed now, this creature wasn't like the others.

James waited for Pyramid Head to come closer. Sweat dripped down from his head and his face was white with concentration.

_I'm going to need luck. _He thought to himself. _I can only try to survive._

As the creature came closer, it began to raise its knife higher off the ground, preparing to strike James. James watched the large blade nervously as it lifted it slower and slower. Time seemed to slow down. Finally, the Pyramid Head was about four feet away from James and the knife was no about three feet into the air. That was all the muscular creature needed to swing. The knife came down fast and hard toward James, leaving a few feet of space between the knife's blade and the monster. James closed his eyes and darted toward that area as fast as he could and slid through that small space as if he was sliding on home in a baseball game. The other side of the room rushed toward James as he slid pass his death. James whirled around and faced the monster on his feet with a fire in his eyes. He had done it! But for how long will this go on?

James swallowed nervously as the monster straightened up again, he was coming back. James resumed a ready position as the monster drew up its great knife and turned back around. James sucked in a breath and waited for it to come back.

_RRRRRRRRRRR!_

The sound of a siren filled the room suddenly, causing James to look up, bewildered. Pyramid Head also looked up, suddenly losing all interest in James. James watched in confusion and relief as the great monster began to descend down _the water filled staircase. _James only stood there, holding his breath until Pyramid Head had disappeared down. There was the sound of gurgling and the water started to quickly drain out until it was all gone.

_Fwwwooo. _James let out his breath as relief filled him. He suddenly did the most outrageous thing, he began to laugh. He couldn't believe his luck, he had come o close to dying. James realized he should be crying instead. He didn't know why, and that only made him laugh harder.

James finally took a deep breath and was able to stop himself, though he was still smiling. He began to walk down the slippery steps of the fire escape, once again thinking how lucky he was to escape this. Was it really luck? Or was it fate?

James exited the door of Blue Creek Apartments and walked down the next flight of stairs. Outside, the fog clung to the town like a rope. James shivered suddenly, although he didn't know why. He wasn't feeling too well either. His head was pounding and…well…he was confused.

The map told him that Rosewater Park wad right up ahead; he would just have to walk there. James removed Mary's picture again from his jacket and stared at it again, although her entire face in the picture he should have memorized already.

_Is this the woman I will find? _James wondered, his eyes scanning over Mary's happy, healthy face. _Or will I find the stranger in the hospital? Will I even find anyone?_

James sighed and placed the picture back into his jacket and trudged forward.

He was still walking when he suddenly heard the distant sound of a voice…a little girl's voice. James paused then continued to walk further. He thought he was mistaken. No, as he went closer, he could clearly make out the figure of a small girl sitting on the edge of a wall, humming to herself. James suddenly remembered the little girl in Woodside Apartments who had stepped on his hand and a wave or irritation went over him. A little girl? Here?

James walked nearer. "It was you, wasn't it?" He asked angrily. "You're the one who stepped on my hand."

The little girl looked up at him, a bit startled, and then smiled when she saw who it was. "I don't know," She said with a smirk. "Maybe it was."

James sighed, realizing it would be useless to argue with a kid. "What's a little girl like you doing here anyway?" He asked, trying to sound friendlier.

The little girl squinted her eyes at him and placed her fists on her sides. "Huh? Are you blind or something?" She asked him.

James frowned and realized she was holding something white in her hand. "Hey, what's that in your hand?" He asked her.

The little girl scowled and started to stand on the top of the wall. "None of your business." She shot at him. She shot him one last mean glare. "You didn't love Mary anyway!" She shouted at him as she disappeared behind the wall.

"Wait!" James shouted as she ran away, his heart hammering in his chest. "How do you know Mary?" But it was too late, the little girl was gone.

_What did she mean? _James wondered his mind suddenly asunder. _That's not true; I loved Mary more than anything! I waited for her for three years in the hospital dammit!_

"She's lying." James said aloud to himself. He wondered how she knew Mary, why had she said that.

James shook his head and continued walking. Not too far down, a box of handgun ammo was lying in the middle of the street. James picked it up, wondering more about the strange creatures that lurked in the fog. It all seemed so odd, this entire thing. Four days ago, James had believed that his wife was dead and nothing would ever bring her back. A few hours ago, James would have told you that there were no such things as monsters, demons, ghost, but now he wasn't sure about anything. Suddenly, everything he had known was turned upside down.

Closer into the fog, the form of a sign came into view. Rosewater Park. James stopped in front of it, wondering if his ordeal was finally over. It seemed so hard to believe that _she_ was here. What do you say to a loved one whom you thought was dead?

_So this is the park. _James thought to himself. _Mary…are you here?_

_I lost you once, three years ago to that damn disease. It nearly ruined me; there was nothing I wanted more than for you to be back. Well, I'm here now, following the letter the letter that you sent me, asking myself if this is true. I already lost you once, I can't, refuse, to lose you again. _


	8. Maria

James wandered more into the park; the gray scenery matched the entire town, gray and lifeless. It had been only three years since James had visited the park, but it looked as though a whole century had passed. The gray path way was cracked; all the green plants were gray, though they seemed to still be strangely enough alive.

_So, _James thought to himself. _This is the park._

He vaguely remembered the layout of the park, it was something like a maze but if you just went straight, you would end up at the wooden dock.

_It's a maze this garden it's a maze of ways…_

The song from the show _Secret Garden_ went off in his head, a show that he and Mary had attended years before. He had never read the book, but Mary had told him that the show was actually much darker than the book, sadder too. Although basically, it was a sad, but sweet story. A little girl, bitter toward people, suddenly loses her parents whom never loved her and is forced to move in with family whom she never knew existed and there her own past is stirred as she meets knew people, and finds the part of herself she never knew she had and learns to love.

_There's a girl whom no one sees, there's a girl who's left alone. There's a heart that beats in silence for the life she's never know. For the life she's never known._

James shuddered, such a bittersweet story, why did it get to him like that now?

It wasn't very big, but it was like a maze. James started walking forward down the sidewalk toward the dock, thinking that maybe that's where Mary was. It didn't seem real still, it was like he had just been told of her death and he was still in shock, not wanting to believe it, he still couldn't.

_I still kinda expect to wake up. _He thought to himself. He finally came out onto the deck that overlooked the lake, though now, there was only that endless gray. James walked over to the edge and looked out; he wanted to see, to feel. There was just something about the lake, even when you couldn't see it. The faint sound of the water slapping against the deck gently was the only thing there to assure him it was still out there. James sighed, feeling a sadness swell up in him.

_Well…I'm here Mary. _He thought to himself, a bit sadly. He would have been happy to see her but…afraid to. Why hadn't she contacted him before? Why now? Hadn't they told him she had died? Had she been in a coma for the last three years?

He knew the real reason he was afraid, it was because…well…what then? What happens _when_ he did find her? What would she or he say then? Did she look the same? What if…oh g-d… what if he…

James grinded his teeth together and clenched his fists tightly, ashamed at himself for thinking that. How could he?

_But you have to face it._

Face what? After he found her everything would be fine again.

_Three years can change a person a lot. Especially in Mary's case. Her disease was disfiguring…_

_No! _James clenched his hands even tighter. _I would never make a mistake like that! I would never mistake her for one of them! She's just fine! _

James gasped choked back tears. It was true…no matter what…she wasn't the same. She couldn't be. James thought to all those times he prayed for her healthiness, for her to live. What would the cost have been for her?

"_Look, I'm disgusting! I don't deserve flowers. Between the disease and the drugs I look like a monster!"_

Is that why she hadn't shown her face in three years, she no longer looked human? She lived, but was it worth it?

James shook his head and continued walking forward more to the center of the deck. His hands felt cold and clammy and the horrors of the town were momentarily forgotten. The more he walked, the more afraid he became that it really was a hoax. Suddenly, a shape took place I the fog, a woman. His heart started to beat faster and his mind whirled at a nauseating speed. This didn't feel real. Even in the fog he recognized her, recognized her profile, her stance…

"Mary!" He gasped, running forward. His head felt as though it was going to explode from happiness, she was here! Mary was alive! The woman turned at his voice, the rest of her coming into view, her blond hair unlike Mary's long brown hair.

"No," James said, more surprised than disappointed. "You're not."

The woman smiled at him, a playful, laughing smile. "Do I look like your girlfriend?" Her voice was like Mary's too, but sultrier sounding.

"No…my late wife." He said, watching her carefully. The woman smiled and turned away from him, examining her nails. It was incredible the way she…James watched her move, so much like Mary. "I can't believe it," He finally managed to blurt out. "You could be her twin. You're face, you're voice. Except your hair and…clothes." His face reddened slightly when he said that, wondering if he might have offended her. She wore a red long sleeved shirt that looked like a blouse only it was cut to reveal a strip of her stomach. Her skirt was a dark pink leopard print and she wore high heeled black boots that went up her calves. A tattoo of a butterfly rested on her stomach.

The woman seemed to find this amusing. She turned to face him, her blue eyes seemed to be laughing. "My names Maria." She said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I don't look like a uh ghost, do I?" She asked, glancing down at herself as though to see for herself. She smiled at him. "See?" She asked, grabbing his hand. "Feel how warm I am?"

James tugged away from her grasp, looking surprised. "You're really not Mary!"

Maria frowned slightly. "I told you, I'm Maria."

His head was starting to hurt again. "I'm sorry I was…confused." He said backing away a bit. This woman, why did she look so much like Mary? Even had a similar name. But she was like her complete opposite, her alter ego. Maria's hair was cut short and blond with red tips, Mary had long brown hair. James shot her one last glance and started away from her, feeling confused and almost afraid of this woman.

"Where are you going?" Maria asked, sounding more surprised than curious.

"I'm looking for Mary."

"Didn't you say she died?" Maria asked, her bright red mouth moving into a frown. She didn't look at him like Angels had, as if he were crazy, but more of like she was amused by this.

James winced, suddenly feeling both crazy and foolish. "Oh yeah…three years ago. But I got a letter from her," James rushed, instantly wondering why.

_Just because she looks like Mary doesn't mean she knows anything._ He told himself.

"She said she was waiting in our 'special place'."

"And that's here?" Mary asked. "Anyway," she continued, turning back to look out at th lake. "I haven't seen her. Is this your only 'special place'?" She smiled, as though the word was funny.

James's eyes widened, he hadn't thought of that. Mary might still be here! But in some other place. James thought back to when the two of them were here. No where else had really held anything of significance, only the…

James's mouth became a straight line. "Well…there's the hotel too I guess." He said. "The one on the lake. I wonder if its still there."

"The Lakeview hotel?" Maria asked, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah its still there." The mischievous twinkle returned to her eye, a smile slowly spreading on her face. "So, the hotel was your special place huh?" She smirked. "I bet it was."

James scowled and started walking away. Maria seemed surprised at his sudden anger. She grabbed his arm.

"Don't get so mad. I was just joking. Besides, the hotels not that way, it's that way." She pointed in opposite direction. James glanced at her face for a moment before starting to walk in the opposite direction. Much to his dismay and surprise, Maria started to follow him from behind. James paused.

"You're coming with me?" He asked her skeptically.

Maria looked at him a second, trying to see if this was a joke. "You were just going to leave me here?" She asked in frightened voice, her blue eyes suddenly becoming scared looking.

"No but…" He said, wanting to explain to her why she couldn't come but also not wanting to offend her.

Maria glanced around them, suddenly changing completely to a frightened child. "With all these monsters around?"

"No, I just…"

"I'm all alone here." She said, stepping closer. "Everyone else is gone." Just as quickly, the frightened child was gone, and her blue eyes started to laugh at him again. She grasped the ropes on the edge of the deck wit her hands and faced him, leaning against them. "I look like Mary don't I?" She asked him coyly, casually, leaning against the ropes. "You loved her, right?" Her smile suddenly grew wider, her eyes gleamed nastily. "Or," She said. "Maybe you _hated_ her."

He could only look at her, suddenly feeling weary. "Don't be ridiculous." He started to walk away again. Maria hurried up beside him. "So it's okay?"

James bit his tongue, wanting to say no but…she looked so much like Mary. Could that really be a coincident? Besides, she needed him to protect her, and James felt almost obligated to keep her okay. "Yeah, fine."

They walked in silence for a few moments; the only sounds were of Maria's boots clicking on the ground. James sneaked peeks at her occasionally, finding he was surprised every time to find how familiar everything about her was. They walked out of the park and back toward the street, Maria finally broke the awkward silence.

"So, tell me more about-"

She was cut off by the sound of static. James was confused for a second, suddenly remembering the radio. Once again, he was reminded how dangerous the town was, of the demons that walked the streets. He pulled out his gun and looked around for any sign of a monster, a hard concentrated look on her face. Maria didn't recognize this sound and merely wandered behind James, not understanding what kind of danger they were in. James walked forward a few feet, trying to find the demon. He continued forward, leaving Maria behind in the fog.

"James?" Maria asked nervously when she realized he was gone. Her voice only came out as a small squeak as the fog seemed to come down on her, suddenly giving her the feeling off being suffocated by a pillow. She missed the shadow coming up behind her, only catching sight as a kick was aimed at her.

"_James!"_

James jumped at his name being called, realizing it was Maria. He looked around, confused for a second before realizing she wasn't there. He ran forward, gun in hand, looking for any sign of her.

"Maria?" He called out, alarmed.

He finally caught sight of a flash of red out of the corner of his eyes. _Maria. _He saw just in time to see a mannequin demon deliver a quick, sending Maria to the ground. James ran forward and started to shoot at the monster until it dropped to the ground. James aimed and shot it four more times until he was sure it was dead.

James turned around and lowered himself next to Maria, instantly feeling bad for not protecting her. "Are you alright?"

Maria drew her hand away from her abdomen and managed a small smile. James weakly returned the smile and her up to her feet. As soon as she was on her feet, fear replaced her smile and she looked around them, nervously.

**Here's the next chapter. (Yay! applaud applaud) I'm sorry it ended kinda sloppy, I'm being kicked off the computer. I would really appreciate it if people would review this, praise or critiscm. **


	9. The Innocent Soul

**A/N-Sorry it took kinda long for me to update, I'm working on a lot of different stories now. My new songfic Promise from this game is up now so if anyone could check it out and leave a review, I'd really appreciate it. I just want to know what you honestly think. Thanks!**

"James?"

James stopped and allowed Maria to catch up with him. She came up beside him, walking her classy walk. Her black high heeled boots made hollow thuds as she joined him, her arm just barely brushing his jacket. James backed away immediately; it was more of a unintentional reflex, as though afraid to be brushed by anyone. Maria saw this and chortled lightly. "Are you always _so_ paranoid James?"

James scowled at her tone of voice, though he wasn't completely annoyed. "I can't help it."

Maria nodded as though understanding, or else laughing inside. Her blue eyes shone. Whenever James looked into them, he always felt as though he were being laughed at, like they were always laughing at him.

"Come on." He said, continuing to walk ahead. They had just passed Jack's Inn. James consulted his map again, trying to find the quickest route to the hotel. It wasn't on the map. James looked harder, not being able to find it.

"Didn't you know?" Maria asked him as though reading his thoughts. "The hotel is across the lake. You need a boat to get there."

James looked up at her, looking wearily into her know serious eyes. "Where am I suppose to find a boat?" He asked her, feeling irritated.

Maria looked thoughtful for a second; she put all of her weight on her left leg and crossed her arms. "Well…um…I guess you'll need to find a dock. There's a ton around here. You need to just basically go to the back of any building facing the lake. You could probably find a boat there…"

James nodded and sighed, pocketing the map. They both continued walking, they were both silent. James couldn't keep himself from sneaking looks at Maria. Despite the hair, clothes, when she was talking or making unnecessary comments and her face was nonchalant looking, he could be looking at Mary. She even walked the same way, if not with a bit more attitude than Mary. She had the same voice, but sultrier and…

James shook his head, ending his train of thought. No, couldn't do that. He was comparing Mary to Maria, Maria to Mary, it wasn't right.

"Tell me more about Mary." Maria suddenly spoke up, catching him looking at her. James turned away quickly, feeling ashamed. "Well…she loved it here."

Maria snorted softy. "_Here? _Why?"

James shrugged, pausing to let Maria catch up. Although she didn't say it, she must have been tired. Her face was paler and her breathing more ragged.

"She just…she thought it was beautiful here. It was quiet, like her sanctuary. She wanted to come back. But she died before…" James grimaced, wondering why he had just told a stranger that. Maria, she didn't seem like a stranger, he felt as if he knew here. It made him uncomfortable the way she was staring at him, looking almost sympathetic. He couldn't stand sympathy, not now, not when Mary died. People could say "I'm so sorry" all they wanted, it would never have brought her back. James turned away from Maria's burning stare.

"Do you…really think she's here?"

James sighed and…shrugged. "I-I'm really not sure. I want her to be, more than anything. I can't-I can't stand it without her she's…"

"All you've got to fight for." Maria quietly finished for him. She smiled a sort of sad, harsh smile.

"You're the first person not to call me insane." James told her.

Maria gestured around them, her crooked smile on her face. "What, here? I'd believe my dead spouse sent me a letter from the grave before I'd believe this! This place…it doesn't seem real. This place defies reality. Has it even occurred to you that the only reason Mary lured you here is because this is the only place she could have?"

James frowned, pondering that. "I guess that makes sense. But…I really didn't even think about that. I just assumed if she was here…she'd be alive."

Something dark replaced Maria's eyes. She suddenly frowned, looking thoughtful. "Yeah." She said softly. "I guess so."

James continued walking, hearing the sound of Maria's boots behind him, letting him know she was still with him. In a way, the sound of her boots, the sound of someone else, was oddly comforting. There was something about Maria, something that attracted and repelled her from him at the same time. He didn't know what, it wasn't just the fact she looked like Mary. Vaguely, guiltily, he wondered if she was who she really said she was.

They walked for about another minute before the unmistakable sound of static arose, reminding them both that they were still not safe, even if they had each other's company.

"Man," James said. He didn't want to fight. He glanced behind him and saw Maria looking shaken and pale.

"James," She said, looking up at him pleadingly.

"Come on," He instructed. They both walked off of the street and came in front of a building. It was large and gray with a door out in the front. Maria looked up at the building with distaste, her fear disappearing.

James looked up at the sign which read Pete's Bowl-R-Rama.

James frowned and put his ear against the door. Had he…oh yes, there it was again. Someone…talking? Was there someone inside? Could it be…maybe it was…James reached for the door knob, about to open it when Maria suddenly spoke up, her voice filled with distaste.

"I'll wait here. I hate bowling."

James looked back at her, seeing if she was joking. "I didn't come here to play you know."

_Mary never liked bowling either._

Maria smiled at him, her voice dropping to its usual sultry manner. "Hurry back, okay?"

James found himself smirking slightly as he disappeared inside, feeling like laughing and groaning at the same time.

James looked around, finding himself in a hallway. Right along side the wall was a box of ammo and a box of shotgun shells. James wondered who was leaving this stuff behind, but glad they did. He bent down to get them, then paused, the sound a girl's voice reaching his ears.

"So what'd you do? Robbery? Murder?"

_She sounds familiar. _James thought, retrieving the items on the floor then straightening up. Not wanting to barge in, her put his ear to the door to listen to the conversation going on in the other room.

"Nah, nothing like that."

_Eddie? _James wondered, recognizing the voice immediately. But who was the other person?

"Hah! You're just a gutless fatso!" The other person cried out gleefully.

James winced, expecting Eddie to yell back something in a retort. But he instead, he just responded with a calm: "Whadda have to say that for?"

"I thought you said the cops were after you."

"No, I just ran cause I was scared. I don't know what the cops are doing."

The girl's voice dropped, sounding more sympathetic, maybe feeling bad for Eddie. "But if did something bad, why don't you just say you're sorry?" She the girl sounded more resolute. "I guess I ran away lots too."

James suddenly realized that was a child speaking. There was just that difference between adult answers and children answers. The innocent thinking that all you had to do was say sorry. How uncomplicated their lives were at that age, how they were so innocent and true. He supposed the girl in there must be the brat who stepped on his hand. Why was she still here? Did the monsters not scare her?

"It's no good." Eddie was saying miserable. "They wouldn't listen. No body will ever forgive me. Did you find that lady you were looking for…What's her name…Mary?"

James eyes widened, knowing Eddie was not addressing him.

_So she's looking for Mary too. _James thought grimly. He opened the door and walked in.

The room was large, the main room that, with light, looked like an ordinary bowling alley. Eddie was seated at a table with a box of pizza in front of him. He was eating it hungrily, making James's stomach churn wondering how he could be so hungry after being violently ill back at the apartments.

"Eddie?" James said, coming more into the room.

Eddie turns slightly, his mouth full of pizza. "Oh…umm, yer…"

"James." James said. "We met in the apartment building."

"Yeah, I remember but…" Eddie turned away, feeling slightly foolish and continued to chew slowly, attempting to drop the awkward conversation.

"Are you alone here, Eddie?" James asked, walking more into the room.

"Uh no…" Eddie swallowed a mouthful. There was a sound of something heavy rolling across the floor. James and Eddie both looked up, startled, only finding it was a bowling ball rolling out of the darkness. James and Eddie both looked up at the same time to see the little blonde girl at a door. She looked back at both James and Eddie and waved at Eddie. "Bye bye!"

She quickly disappeared through the door.

"Wait! Come back!" James called, too late. He started after her, and then turned back to Eddie. "Eddie! Let's go after her!" He said, urgency rising in his voice.

Eddie looked up at him like he was crazy. "Huh? Laura? But why…?"

"Laura." James said. "Is that her name?"

"That's what she said." Eddie said calmly, not making any attempt to go after her. He just sat there and took another bite out of his pizza, holding up a slice and offering it to James. James shook his head, annoyed at him. "This town is full of monsters." He said angrily. "How can you just sit there and eat pizza?"

Eddie looked insulted. "She said she was fine by herself…She said a ftso like me would just slow her down." He sounded bitter.

James shook his head in annoyance and waved away Eddie. "Forget you…"

With a scowl, James hurried through the door that Laura disappeared to and walked out back into the hallway. Laura was no where in sight. James sighed, realizing this was like a game of chase, and ran back out outside into the foggy, cool air.

Laura was nowhere in sight, nor was Maria. James through up his arms in frustration, realizing now he had to keep his eye on _two_ women. James didn't see either of them in sight and started to jog around the back of the building, hoping to bump into Maria. H didn't have to run far. He saw a figure heading toward him. On instinct, James took out his gun and pointed it at the object without thinking, then lowered it as Maria came into sight. She was also running and breathing hard like she was out of breath. She caught sight of James and hurried over to him, allowing herself to bend over and catch a few breaths.

"Did a little girl run out of here?" James asked her.

Maria straightened up, still out of breath, and nodded. "Yeah, she was too fast for me! Aren't you gonna go after her?" She demanded.

James nodded and hurried ahead of her running with her close behind. He circled the half of the building and spotted an alleyway, taking a guess by going done there. James ran down it, passing a door and hitting a dead end where the only possible escape route from there was a gap between the two buildings.

"She went through there." Maria spoke up, pointing to the small passage. James went closer and tried examined the gap, finding it too small for him. He looked back at Maria who patiently waited him with her hands propped on her hips.

"Is there any other way?" He asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, there is." Maria said, pointed to a metal door on the building to their left. "Right through there.

James nodded and walked over, looking back at Maria when he found it locked. "It's no good. It's locked."

Maria smiled coyly at James and bent down and reached into her boot, pulling out a key. She walked over to the door and fitted the key and re-placed it back in her boot. She then pulled out another key from the side of her skirt and did the same thing with that one. Then, after giving James another coy smile and she turned away from him and reached into the front of her blouse, pulling yet another key. She fitted it into the lock and the door made a clicking sound, indicating it was opened. Maria turned back away from him and put the key back, then turning around to face James pointing at the door like a game show host presenting the prize. James gave Maria a funny look then tried the door, finding it open. They both stepped inside.

It was a small room with a staircase to their right. James, after receiving a nod from Maria, followed those stairs up and found himself soon into another larger room. The room had a bar set up on one side right near the front door. Chairs and tables were all set up around a stage with a pole at the end. The wall was covered in various lighten decorations, one saying Heaven's Night. James recognized that name, it being a popular club. James looked at Maria.

"Do you…"

Maria cut him off with a sharp laugh. "What, I gotta work somewhere you know."

James nodded, his question still hanging. The couple went over through the paths of chair's and tables and went to the front door of the building, opening it up to the gray world outside. The building, James realized, had been the most colorful, thing James had seen all day.

The fog greeted them, some of it drifting into the hot building. James and Maria hurried outside, walking down the metal slate stairs and back onto the pavement.

They walked along the sidewalk, James realizing they had completely lost Laura. He had no idea where she was or where she went.

_Something could happen to her. _James thought, thinking particularly of Pyramid Head and his great knife.

Maria stopped beside him in alarm, pointing her finger at a large building. "Look, there!" She nearly shouted.

James looked up and caught sight of Laura pulling open a large, heavy looking door and disappearing inside. There was a red cross over the door that Laura had gone through.

Maria shuddered behind him. "I hate that place." She declared. "I always hated working so close to it. It gave me the creeps."

"A hospital?" James asked, not particularly fond of them himself.

"Ugh, a hospital for the _insane." _Maria said. "Do you know Laura or something?"

James shook his head. "No, but I think she knew Mary somehow, she said her name. She told me I didn't love her."

"Hmm." Maria said, looking away from him. She grimaced. "James I…" She paused for a moment as though deciding against was she was going to say then shook her head, sighing. "No, never mind. Let's just get this over with." She said. James nodded started toward the building.


	10. Brookhaven

James stepped inside the desolate building, holding the door open for Maria. Her small nose wrinkled in dislike as the door shut behind them, bits of dust flying upwards. They stood in the lobby which was also part of the hallway. To either side of them the hallway continued then turned. Here and there, old gurneys lay around, their wheels un-turning and sitting on the same spot as they had been for years. Bloodied sheets lay atop them, wrinkled and dried. The walls were decayed, the bland paint used in so many hospitals peeling and disintegrating. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

James looked at the wall, discovering a map of the building. Brookhaven was printed at the top. He removed the map from the wall and examined it, finding it being a small hospital. A hospital. One of the places he'd _least _like to be.

"Ugh, I hate hospitals." Maria said defiantly, her nose still wrinkled in distaste.

"Can't say there my favorite places either." James responded soberly, walking over to examine a bloodied gurney. He grimaced, imagining what…what had been here. He thought of Mary, that's what hospitals always made him think of. Poor Mary, laying in bed, both of them knowing her end was just so near. Everyone knew they would die someday, but only a handful knew when, when their death was set by other than their own hand. Mary, so sick, unaware of her own words, both feared the thought of death and was…well, was nearly amused by it. For some people, it came too soon, for other's, it took too long. And then there was Mary, either death took too long to set her free or else it wasn't coming. She refused to be believe it would.

Maria walked up beside James, her red clad arms hugging her middle tightly, her features tight. "I always hated hospitals." She said. "As long as…I could remember I have. Why would Laura come in here? This is no place for a little girl."

"This town is no place for her. Wait-! Maria…?" He looked over at a startled Maria in shock, his mouth hanging open slightly. "You-you said her name was Laura! You called her that outside too!"

Maria frowned, gazing at him quizzically. She pushed a blonde strand of hair out of her eyes. "Yeah…isn't that her name?"

"I never told you her name."

"Oh…" Her eyes widened as it suddenly sank in. "I…guess you didn't…" She bit her lower lip, looking very confused. "But…I already _knew _her name. How?" She shook her head, appearing very startled by this realization.

James looked more closely into Maria's bewildered looking face, the light absorbing it and showing him more than he had noticed before. Her hair, it had brown roots, brown, like Mary's. Could she-nah, no, not Maria. How? Why? It was probably just a coincident, after all, a lot of people with fair hair had darker roots naturally, and it probably meant nothing.

"You don't…know her do you?" James asked Maria.

Maria chuckled darkly and shook her head. "Only you."

_Only you._

James nodded slowly, still wondering about this mysterious woman. He knew she wasn't telling him everything that she probably knew more than she let on.

James wandered over to the reception area finding another box of rifle bullets. He picked them up, glancing at Maria who was probably wondering why the hell there would be rifle bullets in a hospital for the mentally ill.

James was about to pull when, suddenly, he smelled it. Maria noticed it too, her nose wrinkled as she sniffed the air.

"What is…_?"_

James spotted the diary entry lying on the desk, its bright vivid color unmistakable in the dark room. He picked it up and examined it, wondering why it is here in a hospital. Only one

_I am going to die._

That was all that was written on the paper. Here and there, dried wet marks kissed the paper, making the color run, like tears. Mary's tears.

_She cried after I left._

"My g-d." He murmured. Maria came up behind him and read the paper over his shoulder. He felt her lightly brush against his arm; her nose hovered over his broad shoulder. He didn't think she would get it, but her eyes read over the shaky writing carefully. A silent 'o' formed on her bright mouth, she stepped back, a bit embarrassed.

"Is that…?"

"Yes."

"Oh." Maria paused, her eyes strayed far from reality it seemed. " I'm so sorry James."

James nodded and glanced at Maria, half of him wishing that it was Mary in disguise, that she would tell him it was her, and that it was all over. Maria looked back at him quietly, her lips pursed and a slight wince on her face.

"Why…is it here?"

James shrugged, placing the paper back on the desk. It wasn't one he wanted to keep. "Don't know." He said.

Maria frowned, pursing her lips. "It seems to me like Mary's sending you out on a wild goose chase." She said dryly. "Did you piss her off or something?"

James turned to glare at Maria before continuing down the hallway leaving her snide remark unanswered. He thought he just didn't want to answer the question because, well, he thought it was just stupid. But as he thought more and more about it, he realized he was probably just finding an excuse to dwell on that.

They continued down the hallway, each lost in their own thoughts. James glanced at Maria who wore a rare expression. She suddenly didn't look so bold and defiant; she no longer had an amused glimmer in her eye. She looked frightened, defenseless, weak and without a harder outer layer. She looked like Mary while she was sick, without the awful skin condition. Pale, frightened, hugging herself because only she could understand what she was going through, James could have never understood such despair, until then. James wondered if the Maria he had met was her, or if he was looking at the true Maria right then, the Maria like Mary. Their names, even they sounded alike! Maria was the name for Mary in many other countries. Was that just a coincidence or…

Maria caught him staring at her. "You satisfied with what you see?" In a split second, the other Maria was back. She flashed James a sexy smile, the laughing glimmer in her eyes returning, always laughing at him. James looked away, wondering why he had compared the two and even considered them the same person. They were just too different; it was enough to part the two of them into two different people. After all…Mary was at the hotel…

The two of them circled the first floor which was shaped like a square, finding that several doors had broken locks and one of them was working but needed a key. Without words, James and Maria both headed toward the same door at once, finding it being the stairwell.

James looked at Maria, mentally telling her that Laura must be up there. She nodded and they started up the stairs, it was so silent James could hear her breathing.

_Silent Hill. _James thought for a second time, forcing a grin that was robotic and mechanic looking.

They exited out onto the second floor. James was in the lead, shining his light down the hallway, being cautious. Maria noted his lack of fear toward the monsters.

"Don't they scare you?" She asked him, hurrying to catch up with him.

"Of course."

"Well, you don't act it." She said dryly.

James said nothing because he knew he probably didn't act it. Did the monster's scare him? Yes. They did. He didn't like fighting, he didn't like how much blood they poured, it made him feel almost…guilty. He knew he shouldn't be, they were monsters after all, they wanted him dead just as much. But when he held a gun in his hand, when he killed, it didn't feel like it was him, like it was a stranger. He could see, feel, smell, taste, hear, but not comprehend. It wasn't his to comprehend. It was a stranger's. He was in a stranger's body, he shared a mind with them, but it was someone else's fury and strength that killed. Not his own…

James stopped in random in front of a door, trying the handle which let open thinking Laura might be in there. He looked at the map, finding it was the Men's Locker Room. The Men's Locker Room was small, not much room for a little girl to hide. He spotted a coat and noticed something bulging was in its pocket. He found the Examination Room key, wondering if he would find Laura in there. It didn't hurt to try.

James and Maria exited, going into the Woman's Locker Room next. It had the same layout as the men's. James moved in more to allow Maria, with her arms crossed, more room. One of the locker doors was open. Maria pointed to t and James went over, extracting a shotgun from it.

"Huh," James said, examining it. "Wonder why that's there."

Maria grunted in reply, her gaze straying around the room nervously.

James remembered the shotgun ammo suddenly and removed a box from his pocket, loading the weapon. He glanced back at his handgun, not thinking it would be such a hot idea to leave it. He offered it to Maria to protect herself. She gave the shotgun one look and shook her head quickly, her mouth turning down in a frown.

"You sure? You might need it."

"I'm with you, what do I need protection for?" She inhaled and exhaled, her gaze averted to the small weapon that killed, a weird glint in her eyes. For a second, she looked as if she might take the gun. She caught James's eye and quickly drew her hand away, looking pained. "…I'd better not."

James looked more into the room, noticing the desk that lay against the wall. A teddy bear sat on the desk, looking straight ahead with its sweet button eyes, its soft fur still brown, not showing any signs of neglect. James, not being able to help himself, reached out and gently touched a section of the head, a smile lingering on his face. He had given Mary a bear just like this in the hospital, not to play with of course but…it had been a sweet thing to have as she had said, a smile lightening up her face. She was an adult, bears had seemed lie a kiddie thing, but she had loved it, she kept it next to her on her night stand or in her bed, always keeping it in great condition, even holding on to it at sometimes. Oddly enough though, it had disappeared. When James asked where it had gone, Mary smiled and said a little angel took it. James still wondered what she had meant, if she had been delirious.

"Ow!" James pulled his hand away from the bear like it had turned into fire, watching a bead of blood form on his index finger. He scowled, shaking his head. Damn bear.

"What's wrong?" Maria asked him anxiously, craning her neck to see better.

"I pricked myself." James explained, looking at the bear suspiciously. He went nearer and examined the top of the bear's head, spotting something nestled between the furs. He reached down and felt something hard in the surface. With careful concentration, he tightened his two fingers around it the object and pulled it out, the bear's head bobbed is it slid out. A bent needle.

"What was a bent needle doing in their?" Maria asked him.

James shrugged. As the same with everything else, he didn't know. After one last scope around the room, he decided there was nothing else in there of interest. He exited the room with his handgun in his pocket and his shotgun in his hands. The examination room key was in his pocket as well. Maria suggested they go try that room which was on the first floor. James nodded and the duo headed down the stairs.

Almost as soon as they stepped onto the first floor, the silence was shattered by the unmistakable sound of static. James's senses immediately were alerted. He snatched his hand gun, not wanting to waste his new prize, and whipped his head around, looking to see what lurked beneath the shadows.

They both stood there for a second, each on their toes, the familiar sense of dread coming back to them. There was nothing worse than not knowing, than waiting unaware and unseeing, but that is what this was. For a second, during the commotion, James wondered why again, if Mary or someone really was just screwing with him.

"James…" Maria's voice brought him back from his thoughts, following the terror stricken woman's gaze up the hallway from where a creature stood, it's back hunched over, and shaking like it was having a seizure. James's brow furrowed as he backed a way a few feet. The creature must have known they were there, it sputtered and took shaky, mechanic like steps more toward them, it's short black hair hid it's pale, bloodied face. White hands grasped a metal pole in front of it; the skin had a nearly decayed look about it, like a dead body left out for a few days. The sounds that arose from it sounded feminine enough, throaty and rough, like short gasps and grunts.

Maria's face paled, her lips becoming thin. She took a few feet behind James, shaking her head as though trying to wake herself up.

"My g-d," James said, watching it come nearer. "What the hell is-"

"No! James!"

James whirled around and pointed his gun at the demon that appeared behind Maria. Before the pipe was brought down, he delivered a clean shot toward the demon, stunning it for a second and sending it backwards. All this time, he neglected Maria, not thinking when he pointed the gun at something that was near her. She saw this shuddered at the thought of the bullet in her head, moving closer to him and further away from the damned weapon.

James put his gun down, breathing hard, looking stupidly at the monsters around them. Some sort of…demon…a nurse?

_Nurse demons. _He thought to himself, pocketing the weapon again.

He looked back at Maria who was looking at him in the oddest way, her gaze hard and dull at the same time, her lips pouted slightly.

"Maria…?"

"You nearly shot me." Her gaze hardened, her fist twisted tighter, digging her red nails into her flesh creating crescent moon shaped marks. She shook her head, a bit sadly, her gaze meeting him directly in the eye. "You nearly shot me you idiot! What the hell were you thinking?" She was angry; he could see that, she moved a little closer, her chest moving up and down, looking like she wished to exchange a few choice words with him, looking up at him. Her cheeks red, her eyes now fire, she gazed angrily, anger suddenly changing to critically. Her face suddenly changed. Her mouth twisted slightly, she cocked her head and said in a mocking tone. "Do you want me dead James…huh?" A bitter smile cracked her face; she nodded at the shotgun in his hand. "Do you want to-to shoot me James? Is that it?"

James took a step back, taken aback by her remarks. Her struggled tone faded, her eyes softened dramatically. James could only stare at her in surprise, anger making it known for him. He looked down shamefully at the ground, feeling ashamed. "No," He croaked out, looking desperately up at her face, his green eyes suddenly glazed and glass like. "Mary…please…I'm so sorry."

"Mary?" Maria frowned, suddenly looking confused. "Did you just call me…Mary?"

James looked back at Maria, doubting whether or not he had heard himself correctly. Did he just confuse Maria for Mary?

"James…" Maria's face fell, her eyes went teary. "Oh James…no…I'm not."

He looked at her silently and only nodded, feeling numb. Why? Why did he say that? Of course she wasn't. How? But…they looked so much alike, so much like twins. Mary, Maria. Maria, Mary.

"James…I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you." Maria told him, giving him a sad, apologetic look. "Really, I didn't mean to."

Again, James nodded, looking blankly at the woman who had been yelling at him a minute ago. A woman he barely knew. Maria smiled, wiping away a tear that had fallen delicately on her cheek. Suddenly, she was happy again.

James noticed her staring at him in an odd way, one eyebrow raised and her hand propped on her waist, softly tapping her black boot against the floor. James took the hint and continued on, glancing every now and then at Maria, feeling lost and confused, wondering how he could have ever mistaken her from the woman she clearly was not.


	11. Born From A Wish

**Sorry it took so long to update this. I would really appreciate some reviews, merci sil vous plait. Gracias. **

James and Maria headed back down to the first floor and meandered their way into a hallway with M doors on the side. James looked at the hospital map, finding that this was where the examination room should be. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the key, searching for the door.

James put the examination room key in the examination room lock and heard the rusty knob lock. Maria made a 'humph' noise behind him. She crossed her red clad arms across her chest and switched weight on her foot.

"How could a little girl get into a locked room?" She asked him.

James saw her logic, but rapped on the door either way. Laura…she was a puzzle to him. She could probably find a way into a locked room. Maybe she had locked the room herself. "Laura?" He called softly, "You in there?" There was no response. He knocked a second time only to have the silence repeat. He shrugged and turned the knob, letting the door open with a shower of dust and wood.

Inside the examination room, James found a pile of handgun bullets lying on the table, still good for use. A typewriter sat on a desk, bits of cobweb between the keys. James's father, Frank, when James was little, had kept an old fashioned typewriter on the shelf in his study, one of James's favorite rooms in that house. Frank still used the typewriter even though they had newer appliances in the house. James remembered the day he wrote a letter to Mary. When she was admitted to the hospital…

_No, _James thought. _I will not think of that._

He shrugged the memory away and noticed a piece of paper still in the typewriter, still easily readable.

_9117_

_9117? _James thought to himself.

Aside from a bulletin board that held the password 7335, there was nothing else of interest in the room so James and Maria left. James, as he past Maria, heard a sound that chilled him. It was soft but noticeable, at least to maybe only James. He had become so acute to that sound. He turned to face Maria, whose hand was to her mouth, coughing lightly. She saw his expression and drew her hand away, laughing lightly at the matter. Even though she laughed, her knees were shaking, her face was pale.

"What?" She asked, smirking. "Do I look like a ghost or something?" She smiled slowly, her smile seductive and challenging him. James tried to refuse to meet her eyes, but they were drawn in like magnets. They stared at each other for a moment, the air had suddenly become silent and thick-like, and the mood had changed completely. They were like that for only a few moments, it seemed like and eternity to James. Silent seduction. James didn't know what to say, half afraid to break the spell between them, though he knew he shouldn't. Half of him wished it was Mary staring at him so intently, yet, the other half found satisfaction-almost excitement-with this new woman, Maria. She seemed exciting, adventurous, nothing like Mary had been. He liked her smile, the one she was using right then. It was long; the red lipstick defined its slimness, its coyness. It belonged to a snake, a snake that found its prey and was luring it, reeling it in for the catch...

"Why are you…" He let the rest trail off, none more needed to be said. Maria caught the hint; she purposely broke the connection between them, as though breaking him from a trance. James shook his head in bewilderment, suddenly feeling drained, exhausted. He just didn't get it. Of course, the intent of his question was there. Why was Maria doing that when she knew James was married? She was helping look for his wife for g-d sakes! So why was she flirting instead? The question had a double meaning though, one James took into bewildered but curious consideration. He had asked: "Why are you doing this?" but hadn't meant it that way. It really meant: _Why was Maria flirting with _him?

It was a treatment James wasn't use to. He was cold, reserved, didn't care to talk much. He had dated many young ladies all of whom never lasted a month. They didn't like this James, his intensity. He knew this. James wasn't ugly, never had been, he may even be handsome. Mary had been beautiful through and through. For some reason, his cold charm, his intense gaze, his driven personality had attracted her. She stayed with him, through a month, a year, marriage...Two beautiful people, one sunny, gentle, elegant and the other, gloomy and rough. Such an unlikely pair it seemed, James was afraid it'd never work. The truth was, from the moment James had set eyes on Mary, he'd lost it. His heart was gone. Although he hadn't directly said "I love you" often then, it was unspoken, there needn't be any words said. James had loved Mary unconditionally. He placed a ring on her finger and was instantly seized by fear of the thought of her leaving him. They were so different, how could Mary love him as he loved her? Then one day, they were together, here, in Silent Hill, in Rosewater Park. It had been beautiful out, everything had been so perfect. Mary had taken his hand, held it to her heart.

"_James, you make me so happy."_

He had known it was meant then, it was simple. They did have something in common. They made each other happy.

Then she was sick, all the happiness drained from her in the hospital. She lost her smile, her pains grew worse. So often he would find her staring out into space, not hearing anything in the real world, like she was in her own world. Maybe she had imagined being in Silent Hill. He felt her slipping away form him day after day, like sand through his fingers. Holding on was no use, there had been nothing he could do. Till death do them part. Mary died, he was no longer married to her. She was no longer his to keep…his happiness…

James tried to shrug away his sad thoughts, tried to look toward the bright future. Mary wasn't dead, she was here. She had to be. She had to be…

With nothing else of interest, James led Maria away from the room, purposely avoiding eye contact though she kept on glancing at him. Her hand brushed against the side of his jacket. She kept on running into him.

The third floor held two more of the odd demons wielding pipes. In the dark hallways, their staggering, twitching forms headed toward. James shot them both, his eyes nonchalant and not seeing. Maria lingered only for a moment after James had started forward again, looking almost sympathetically at the dead creatures. Do they feel pain, she couldn't help wondering. Are their tears silenced by their hasty deaths? What were they? This though remained and-for a second-the dead creature before her changed very quickly. Human…but then-no-it was still a demon. What was that?

She shook her head, fighting off the spell, not succeeding. She never succeeded.

James looked at the key pad next to the double doors. He recalled the password he had seen in the examination room, typing in 9117. Nothing, it bleeped in rejection. Okay then, 7335. Yes. He smiled blandly, walking through the door with Mary at his tail.

A long hallway stretched before them, doors lined either side of the wall. A pair of double doors rested on the wall to his immediate left, locked, broken.

The map said that these were the patient quarters.

James tried the first door-locked. As was the next. Room three was opened, with a few groans, the duo walked inside.

_It must have been awful living here. _James thought, gazing at the unbearably small quarters. The room was the size of a walk-in closet with a night table pushed up beside a small cot. Leather straps poked out from beneath. James gazed around a bit longer, finding the room bare and unlivable-not that anything was 'livable' in this town.

James turned, ready to leave.

"James, wait a minute."

Maria was now sitting on the cot, her face was very pale and she looked drained of all energy. James turned back around, surprised at how fast she'd transformed. She coughed weakly a few times, her arms shaking as she tried to support herself on the dingy bed. "I'm kinda tired." She looked at him, explaining. Tired? She looked more than tired, she looked like she was going to be ill.

With a groan, she removed a bottle from what seemed like no where. James couldn't read the small label form so far away, but the logo seemed familiar. Maria unscrewed the cap and popped a pill in her mouth, swallowing with a slight grimace. She glanced at him. "It's just a hangover." She said practically, as though it were no big deal.

_It's just a cold._

Maria started to stand shakily, clearly unwell. James ushered her back down, placing hi hand on her shoulder lightly. "You should rest." He said, trying to ignore the buzzing in his head.

She didn't argue. She collapsed on the cot and spread out luxuriously like it was a bed from a nice hotel. "Mmm," She joked, lightly smiling and patting the bed. "So comfy…I'm so envious of who was in it last…"

James suddenly felt awkward, watching Maria laying there, coughing and acting sick. It was like déjà vu all over again. It was like reliving three years ago. Was he doomed to relive it?

"I'm going to go look for her…for Laura. I'll be back as soon as I can." He added, trying not to fell guilty for leaving her there. Maria only nodded her gaze distant. She was probably falling asleep.

James sighed, inwardly praying to g-d not to let this happen. He couldn't watch this-watch her suffer. So he turned to leave.

"James, I wanna ask you something."

James turned around. Maria was gazing at him with wide, serious eyes. "What if, what if you can't find Mary? What will you do?"

James looked down hesitantly, wondering how to answer that question. "I haven't really thought about that." He said solemnly.

"Go find Laura." Maria directed him, settling her head back. "She shouldn't be wandering around a place like this."

There was urgency in her voice. Of course, anyone would be worried about a little girl during a time like this, but there wasn't just plain worry it was almost, motherly worry. "Maria, why-"

"Go," She pleaded, her voice trembling. "Please find her…Laura…"

James hesitated, and then left without a word.

Maria sighed, closing her eyes, her mind slowly darkening. The voices were coming back now; she grimaced, wishing them away.

_James…where are you…waiting…_

_Mary? _

_I'm waiting for you. Why don't you ever come?_

Maria moaned softly. Somehow, she understood everything, just like he had told her. Fate. She couldn't remember what he had said now though, she was blanking out now, slowly drifting away toward darkness…

_The woman gazed at her reflection in the vanity mirror. Her eyes gazed questionably at her reflection, doubt showed through her blue gaze. What did she doubt? Her own existence? Her soon to be extinction? The thought nearly made her smile with bitterness. Ha! Extinction! There was so much worse than death…_

_She fumbled with the gun in her lap, not quite remembering how it had gotten in her hands but not questioning it either. She couldn't remember, in fact, she couldn't remember a thing. She recalled her name, she recognized the face before her, but everything before the present was lost in a fog, maybe it wasn't worth remembering…she knew not to dawdle in trying to remember, she was here for the present, not the past. And now, as she gazed at her reflection, she wondered about the future, if there was such thing for her._

_When she had woken up, she had been alone. No one was left, she recalled people before, but not now. Was it because of the monsters? _

What do I do now? _She asked her reflection, waiting or an answer. _Do I stay, and fight? _She raised the gun for effect and pointed it at the glass, thinking of how much power she had in her hands. _Or do the monsters get me?

_The thought made her grimace; it sent streams of horror up and down her stomach. She stood and walked over to the window, afraid to pull apart the blinds because she was afraid of what she would see. It was so easy to die in this world; it was full of pain, a pain she knew. She was alone, she hated being alone. There was no one left, was there anything left worth fighting for?_

I don't have any reason left to go on living…_She thought. _But I'm scared to die. I'm so afraid of pain. Should I…run away? I want to find somebody, I don't like being alone. But…but is there anyone left live? _She turned. _Out there…


	12. Getting Colder

One thing led to another in James Sunderland's opinion. It seemed so odd to him that everything just happened the way it had, this whole path before him, the town, Maria. Surely there would be a chain reaction somewhere, a cause and effect type link, but he could not figure one out. Mary supposed death occurred three years ago, if she was alive, why did she wait three years to contact him? This little girl, Laura, she knew Mary-or claimed to, why? James had never seen her in his entire life. Then there was Maria, the mysterious woman who looked like Mary with different hair, a different personality. Her hair was blonde, sure, but with brown roots. It had occurred to him more than once that she was Mary somehow in someway, masquerading as a different person. And then, of course, there was this, this town. Silent Hill. Silent Hell. What the hell was happening to it??? James didn't understand, but he wanted to know. There were too many questions and no answers. Suddenly, his life was turned upside down; he was dumped here in the fog and being chased by demons of some sort. Were they from hell? Or form a place much worse…

His radio began to crackle with static, began to get louder. Without thinking, he whipped out his gun and began to shoot, bringing the nurse demon down. He stepped over the bloody body, surprised to feel a bit of guilt at killing the creature even though it was a monster and wanted to attack him. Didn't it?

The rooms following the ones after were mostly all locked except for the eleventh room. It had the same basic layout as room three except for the red paper laying on the cot and the faintest scent of flowers in the air that only barely overpowered the smell of dust and decay he had grown so used to.

_Too much, I feel so shut away from the outside. Every time I look into the mirror, a monster stares back at me with red eyes. Had another dream last night, I dreamt of going to Silent Hill. There was no pain. I need to go there, I need to go there, it will help. Where is James? Why isn't he here? Doesn't he know I need him?_

James went into the hallway again, fighting off the urge to throw up. Damn it Mary, he had been there for her, what had she been saying?

James crumpled the paper without thinking, dropping it to the floor. A smudge of bright red against the gray tiling. The other rooms refused to budge, broken locks at his best guess. The shape of the key in his pocket pressed against his leg, reminding him.

_The roof. _He thought. _Why on earth should I go up there? _

Climbing the stairs to the roof, Maria's face flashed into his mind. Her weary eyes, her pale face, asking him to leave her and find Laura. That is just what he intended to do. He didn't care how young she was or how impudent, he had questions to ask. She may have answers about Mary. Mary…had it only been a few years ago she had sent him the letter? It seemed ages.

James paused in front of the door to the roof, unlocking it. Outside, fog covered the roof lightly; the chilly night air made him shiver and wish for a heavier jacket. A chain linked fence circled the roof; an adjoining stairwell was over to the left. James walked out and paused until he heard the door shut behind him with a hollow bang. He shuddered, suddenly chilled for no reason at the darkness surrounding the building. He hadn't realized what time it was, already night. Time had slipped by unnoticed, just as it had for the past three years. He had begun to doubt time a long time ago; it became more and more simple. Days changed into nights, days into weeks, and weeks into years. No, there was no time, only transformation of lightness into darkness. Eternity was just one long day.

James cringed at the cold, pulling his jacket tighter and tighter around himself. With a grunt, he pulled his light off his jacket and held it before him, allowing the beam of light to guide him around the roof three floors above ground. "Laura?" He called softly. "Are you here?" There was, just as he had thought, no response. He walked more forward for a better look.

In front of a chain linked fence connecting the two stairwells lay a mess of papers. James hurried over, trying to get a better look. Papers were scattered around a red leather bound book. James began to tremble uncontrollably; he kneeled down beside the mess, noting the blood spatters across the clean white papers torn from the book. Not blood spatters, finger prints. Fearing the worst, he lifted the blood stained book with shaky hands. A clean slice had ripped through the deep red cover like a gash.

"No," his voice came out hoarse. He snapped open the book, gazing at the bloodied pages. His name written over and over in red goop. James. James. James. All in blood! _Why? _Who had written this? The question was rhetorical. This was Mary's journal, the one from the hospital. Why was it on the roof? Where was Mary? James felt his insides turn icy. Blood, no, not Mary's. Oh g-d…what had happened—

_Cheenk. Cheenk._

The grating sound cut through his thoughts, he dropped the journal in surprise. The noise seemed to be everywhere at once. James craned and looked but there was no one he could see, the light fog seemed to devour everything in sight. Suddenly, almost from nowhere stepped a great creature. The smell of freshly spilled blood made James want to gag, momentarily forgetting of Pyramid Head. The creature dragged his great knife behind him, the sharp blade scratched noisily across the cement roof like nails on a chalkboard.

His gun was raised in a second, fingering the trigger in two. Too late, with an unearthly grunt, the blade was raised from the ground and James could only look up in surprise and make a small grunt from his throat, almost amazed by the power of the creature. It cam down hard and fast, a flash of stained metal in the air, the sound of his own breath left his mouth as the blade, turned sideways, came down.

"_Ugh." _

James grunted as the blade made connection with his torso, it pushed out all the air in his system and more, stunning him. Fireworks burst in front of his eyes, his feet left the ground, almost as if he was weightless, as he crashed backwards into the chain linked fence tearing its rusty socket from the ground. Both James and fence fell back, dizzily leaving the roof behind. The descent was silent; James was unconscious before he even landed.


	13. Lost Child

_She wasn't surprised to find the room empty, although, she had hoped it wouldn't be. There were no monsters at least, that was a plus. The woman opened the door a bit wider and allowed herself to slip in. The air still stank faintly of cigarette smoke and spilled alcohol. Chairs and tables were scattered in front of the small runway which adorned a long pole down the center. _

_It was the typical hangout for a small town. Cheap lighting fixtures hung on the walls, the usual stuff like red lips flickering out of control and a woman laying down, propped up on her knees and heavily pregnant with the words __**paradise**__ across her head. It seemed a bit funny in a perverse sense. The woman walked nearer. For some odd reason, she had always looked at that particular piece and found herself wondering if there was some hidden message. It sounded ridiculous of course but…a pregnant girl…paradise…it made her head hurt thinking about it._

_She shook her head and sighed, wondering how much she had drank last night. She tried to massage her temples but it only made it worse. With a resigned sigh, she dropped down into a chair and rested her head in her arms. She began to cry. Why had everyone left her? She didn't want to be alone like this; she didn't want to die alone. _

_No one understood. She was just a person; she needed people just as much as anyone. Lifting her head, her eyes wandered to the stage. She had performed there many times. It seemed wrong to so many people, but it was how she made a living. _

_Whore. Slut. Bitch._

_That was what she was. It was what she was called. Even she knew it; she knew that was only why she was here. Tears ran hot from her eyes, she thought of the people who spat out names at her, vile, awful things. If they only knew she had no choice. She was alone in this world; there was no one there for her. Stiffly, the woman rose and threw back her shoulders. Without a sound, she moved to the stage, up the platform until she was facing the whole room. Her hand rested on the bar, her feet were planted firmly beneath her. She tried so hard to face them, but she couldn't do. With a gasp, it hit her, the pain, the loneliness, the need for someone other than the monsters to be with her. She tried to remain standing but it was too much, her knees began to sway. Closing her eyes didn't help, it was still there, smothering her, and it was mocking her! It was more than she could bear, more than she could take. This feeling was inhuman; it was pure loss and pure, untainted loneliness. It literally made her feel sick to her stomach; it made her cry from fear and sorrow. The gun was still in her hands. If she didn't find them soon… _

_With a resigned sigh, defeat pushed her to the cold ground. This time, she allowed the tears again, she needed to cry this time, to let it out and start fresh again. She just lay there on the stage, the pole behind her, her body spread out on its side. She felt so helpless and hopeless._

_Demons, personal ones. Sometimes, mental damage was worse than physical. At times, death was just a joke. In death, you felt no pain, you felt no sadness. _

_She began to ponder what a fate worse than death was._

His arms were twisted beneath the rest of his body like a pretzel. As soon as his eyes had opened, his stomach had heaved violently but he had forced it back down. With a groan, James pulled himself to his feet, every muscle cracked when moved. A brief test showed no broken bones, not even any cuts. Just one bruise on his wrist. When he'd climbed to his feet, he had found out why. He'd landed on a pile of mattresses that looked ancient and were the color of rust.

He cracked his neck painfully, thankful for the lack of damage. He had fallen a full floor from above. Pyramid Head was gone, thank g-d.

James didn't recognize this part of the hospital. He tried the second door and found it was a heavily padded room with blood soaked into the walls; it clearly hadn't served its purpose.

No other room held Laura or anything of interest. James headed back out of the small hallway and made his way back to the room where he had left Maria. She was still asleep, her features calm and soft. James went over to her bedside and gently placed his hand on her forehead to check for fever. It was cool and sweaty, no sign of a fever.

When she was asleep, she looked just like Mary. They both had serene expressions when they slept. Her red mouth twitched slightly but she didn't wake. James wondered what she was dreaming about. Something happy? Something frightening? Were they like Mary's and 'restless'?

Without realizing it, he rested his hand on her soft, feathery hair. Maria smiled slightly in her sleep. Not a 'Maria' like smile but…something different. Like a child's smile. Innocent, gentle, trusting. Did she trust him? She wanted him to protect her. Did he make her feel safe? His hand moved down to her face, it was the likeness of Mary's. Her mouth, painted such a bright red. He traced it gently with his finger. She murmured softly and shifted a little, James drew his hand back, feeling ashamed though he didn't know why.

"Did you find Laura?" She murmured softly, her voice clogged with sleep. She didn't wait for an answer. She had fallen back asleep, her pale face twined with worry for the young girl.

James silently slipped back out of the room, being sure not to wake her again. He didn't know why Maria was so worried about Laura. No-worry wasn't the right word. Obsessed. Like she knew her, like she loved her. As much as James hoped Laura was safe, he couldn't deny the fact that he thought she was a brat. But she seemed to know something he didn't about Mary, he needed answers.

The elevator was still working but he was very hesitant about getting into it. According to the map, though, it would lead him to another part of the hospital. The doors hummed and opened, James hurried inside and pressed the button for the first floor. Better make his way up. The elevator headed his command and began a slow descent downward. It landed with a slight jolt, and opened its door, the groan it gave was strained as though old. There were a bunch of rooms along the walls but further inspection proved that the first one had a broken lock.

James scowled in the dark hallway, wondering if Laura was behind any door at all. For christsakes, she might as well have disappeared!

James opened room C2, it was a plain, dirty room. On the table lay shotgun shells. He took it. Next was room C3 to try. He grabbed the handle, finding it opened easily, and stepped inside.

The room mostly held mattress-less beds all rusty and dirty. He closed the door silently behind him. Something moved in the corner. Out of impulse, James raised his shotgun at the figure, preparing to shoot. The creature was…playing with teddy bears? James moved in closer, the sound of a little girl's giggles becoming clearer. He had found Laura.

Laura, unaware of James's' presence, tossed the bear into the air and caught, giggling happily. She seemed to be enjoying herself immensely and James couldn't figure out why she wasn't scared by the monsters. She didn't even seem hurt.

"Laura?" James asked softly, moving in closer.

Laura stopped playing and turned around, looking at him in surprise. "Huh? You know my name?" She asked.

"Eddie told me." James explained patiently.

Laura scowled and glared. "The big, fat blabbermouth!" She declared, balling up her little fist. James restrained a laugh, it was somewhat cute. Little girl, big attitude.

"How do you know about Mary?" James asked, deciding to get straight to the point. Laura climbed to her feet and glared at him across the room. She placed her hands on hips once more, assuming her war pose.

"What's the big deal?" She whined, her voice getting a nasally tinge to it. Her gaze was stubborn but not stupid, as though she had prepared for this kind of confrontation.

James sighed, he just wished she would tell him, give some of this odd journey some friggin answers. He just wanted to find Mary. " Why can't you just tell me?"

"You gonna yell at me if I don't?"

There was a slight edge to her voice, it shook slightly. James mustered his kindest expression. There was something about Laura, her lip trembled slightly and he realized she was trying not to cry, but she still looked angry. "No…," He promised. "I won't."

Laura sighed and gave in. She crossed her arms. "I was friend's with Mary," She explained logically. "We met in the hospital. It was last year."

_What?_

"You liar!" James shot out before stopping himself, his face growing red. He quickly caught himself and tried to calm down. "Laura…I…" He said apologetically, hoping he didn't ruin anything.

Laura only glared at him indignantly, she flung her arms down to her side and yelled back at him. "Fine! Don't believe me!" She screamed angrily. Her blue eyes flashed and she pouted her little lip.

"But last year," James tried to explain to little Laura, poor Laura, who must have been too confused to remember correctly. "Mary was already…" His voice trailed off. Mary had died _three_ years ago. She couldn't…or... What was Laura saying? Mary, had she seen her...seen her...It was a crazy thought but…"I'm sorry Laura." He said finally, leaving that puzzle for later. Maria would be happy he had found Laura. "Anyway, let's go."

Laura bent down and picked up a flashlight she must have found and climbed over the empty bed rack. James watched her a bit incredulously, wondering why she didn't act scared. Didn't the monster's frighten her?

"We can talk about this later." He said in a more adult tone as she climbed over. "This is no place for a kid. There are all sorts of strange things around here. I can't believe you don't even have a scratch on you."

Laura shot him a weird look as though _he _was the weird one. "Why should I?"

Something about the way she said it made James's blood chill. It hadn't been impudent or rude, but directed as a question to him. Didn't she see what everyone else saw?

Before he could ask, however, Laura moved in front of him toward the door and James followed somberly behind. They went back into the dark hallway. With James leading the way, they moved down. Laura was silent behind him, her small feet barely echoing off the floor. James wondered where she came from, where was her home. Weren't her folks worried about her? He snuck a glance at her solemn face. Laura wasn't exactly a beauty, she wasn't ugly either. Her eyes were small, a pale blue that reflected everything. She had a fine, straight nose. She was fine boned all together. Her generous blonde ponytail swayed with her steps which were silent and graceful. She looked more like a girl who ought to be doing ballet, not hanging around here. He turned his attention away, listening to their footsteps, trying to clear his reeling head.

"Wait, wait. There's something I gotta get!" She exclaimed, tugging at his arm.

James turned around and shook his head. "Later, okay." He said wearily, just wanting to get the hell out of this place. He turned back around and tried to continue but Laura tugged harder and tried to pull him in the opposite direction. "But it's really important!" She insisted excitedly.

James turned around to face her. He regarded her innocent, eager face with weariness. "What is it?" He asked, realizing he held no power over her.

"A letter from Mary."

"Huh?" James's mouth dropped and bent down, as eager as Laura. Her blue eyes were shining and excited.

"I want to get it. Is that okay?"

"Yes, yes!" James exclaimed, nodding encouragingly. Finally, they were getting somewhere! He felt too dizzy to be smiling, he felt overwhelmed with relief. Laura took off ahead of him down the hallway and stopped purposefully in front of a pair of double doors. Further down, James could see her removing a key from her pocket and unlocking the door.

"C'mon. Hurry up!"

"Is it in there?"

At Laura's nod, James hurried down and joined her, finally getting the answers he needed to solve this odd puzzle. Now he would finally know something about Laura, she would show him the letter and tell him that Mary was alive; she was better and was waiting for him. These thoughts made his knees feel weak; the adrenaline pumping made him weary. Mary…she must be here somewhere. He felt nearly drunk by that thought. Mary needed him and g-d knew he neded her just the same.

James walked into the darkened room which was spacey, it looked like an office. He shone his light over the interior but saw nothing.

"I don't see anything." He called back, his voice echoing.

"It's there, in the way back. In the desk" Laura said.

James walked further, sliding his flashlight over everything. He walked over to the desk and reached out to open the drawer, there didn't appear to be any letter. There wans't anything on the ground. He was about to crawl on his knees when he heard the door shut behind him with a loud bang.

Damn!

"Laura!" James cried, running to the door. "What are you doing?"

"Ha-ha, I tricked you!" She sneered from behind the locked door.

James clenched his jaw angrily, about to command Laura to open the door from him when something moved behind him.

"Open the door Laura!" He said, trying to control his voice.

The sound came again, this time louder and with more force, like something waking up. James froze; panic instantly rising in his stomach. He knew he hadn't imagined it! He wasn't alone in the room, the thought came to him unusually calmly, like he had nearly expected that. With wide eyes, he turned, slowly letting the light travel over the interior. There it was again! Louder even more! From...the ceiling. for second, his beam caught hold of a figure hiding, it's gray face twitching and a long tongue licking it's swollen lips. A loud sound ripped from it and James inadvertantly forced his light away, the creature went back into darkness, leaving behind a trail of loud metallic clanks.

What...?

James forced his light back, only seeing blank space in the ceiling on its second tme around like there had been nothing there at all. Bits of plaster fell form overhead and the sound of something heavy being dragged across the ceiling made James's heart stop, cold slowly settling under his skin. He continued to gap at the ceiling with his light pointed directly from where the monster had dissapeared, his other free hand began to knock pleadingly on the door as if in morse code. Okay Laura, fun times over. This is when you're suppose to let me out. This is the message I knock for you when theres something inhuman in the room!

"Laura!" He gasped hoarsley, green eyes transfixed.

"Why should I?" Laura jeered, her voice rising.

"I'm a liar aren't I?" Laura asked. "Want me to open it?" Huh, huh, do ya?"

James stopped, he continued to analyze the room, and the light shook. Something horrible was here, he could feel it, had Laura known about this? Did she really want him hurt?

"What's the magic word?"

There was a clanking sound and something toppled out from the ceiling, hanging there making an awful rattling sound. That did it for James, He began to pound again. "Laura!" He cried out desperately.

"Okay." She said. "I guess I won't open it. I think I'll leave you just like this…!"

There was more movement, the creature was awake and saw James, there was another clatter from overhead.

"_You snotty little brat! Open up!" _He screamed angrily, pounding furiously.

There was a short silence filled by the disembodied clanking. From overhead, something else started to move and hiss, he couldn't look up, he was too afraid.

"Why you, you…" Laura fumed, she sounded like she was about to cry, she was clearly agitated.

"Laura?" James croaked, realizing he had just made a _big_ mistake.

"You fartface!" She shouted angrily at him.

"Laura?" James tried again.

There was no answer.

"Damn!"

Something heavy dropped from the ceiling.


	14. The Baldwin Mansion

James swallowed nervously; the sounds behind him were by no means natural to any sort of description. They made him shudder, his knees weakened as he tried to stay upright. No, he didn't want to do this. His ears buzzed as he mentally tried to block out his surroundings. Sometimes, he felt as if that was all that was keeping him alive.

Two monsters hung form the ceiling. They had no descriptive faces, they hung in huge cages that creaked with what sounded like age. They, in a perverse manner, reminded James of big babies in their swings. Despite the situation, James smiled thinly, and then he laughed. He laughed loudly, but it ended with a few tears streaming.

He took the first shot at the one nearest him. The impact caused the cage to ricochet back and forth slightly, but the monster didn't die. James aimed again, shoot it more directly, imagining his bullet ripping through the damned thing's head and spattering blood all over the cage. It would fall like red rain, he imagined little children dancing in the falling red rain. Wouldn't that be a pretty sight?

The creatures had located him; they moved stealthily toward, their cages that were attached to the ceiling could somehow maneuver themselves through the room. Sweat droplets gathered on James's forehead, he began to move backwards, never ceasing to lower his weapon. He shot the monsters once, two more times. It stalled the creature. James frowned in contempt, his usually stolid face turned in a slight frown, shot it once more. With a dying groan, the first creature's feet seemed to shrivel and the cage stopped moving.

Shotgun raised, he prepared to shoot another. First there was a smell of decay, then something wrapped itself around his throat. Momentarily stunned, he hung like a limp corpse as he was lifted. Pressure bulged from behind his eyes, his air was shortly cut off. The shotgun dropped immediately from his hand as he struggled to pull the monster off of him. The grip was tight, and his vision was rapidly failing.

Different shapes took form, colors bleeped in what he thought of as silent noise. He tried to open his mouth to gasp, but no air could be drawn in. He flailed his legs helplessly.

_Ugh…need…air._

A dull thudding spread throughout his head, his mouth opened in a silent gasp and hung there like a fish. Soon, his vision went dark, the pressure seemed to explode behind his eyes. He closed them. Soon, he felt like he was falling. The feeling was a immense relief. Something hard struck his knees and palms. He opened his eyes slowly, freely drawing in air. He had fallen. There wasn't a beat missed. He reached his arm out, trying to stay low, searching for his gun. The monster stirred above him a second time. _Where was his freakin' gun?_

"Gah!" He wipped out his hand gun and rolled over onto his back. Holding himself up with his arm, he shot two bullets into the monster's soft, decaying flesh. The monster seem to stir in its cage, its grunt was horrible! It made James cower lower. James thought of its death grip, of how it tried to kill him. His mouth curved into an angry scowl, his eyebrows narrowed. The monster still was not dead, and he was taking no shit anymore.

Five more times until it stopped moving, he gave it one more shot for good measure.

One more and it was mad at James for killin' its buddies. There, his vision was clear again. He found his shotgun and grabbed it, pocketing his handgun. Standing up shakily, his gazed turned towards the last living monster. All the hanging corpses around him were examples of what power people possessed. He thought it was ironic. Humans could create and takeaway life. This was a sick, sick world.

The smell of gunpowder was sharp, cutting through the dense odor of decay. He found himself preferring it much more. He shotgun raised, he began to fire more rounds, each one nailing the creature mercilessly. It too was soon dead.

James lowered his gun, a triumphant look in his eye. He had won, hadn't he? These creatures wouldn't hurt him now.

_Mary…I killed them for you._

He started, a slow frown coming onto his face. He staggered a few feet helplessly, a faint feeling coming into his head. There was a sudden darkness of mind.

_How do you feel now James? Killing them all?_

_No, please, forgive me. They tried to kill me too._

_Crawl back into the hole from where you came. Anyone who must corrupt others of life deserves none of their own, you scum!_

He opened his mouth in response with one who wasn't there. There was a low sound; it seemed to shake his very state of mind. He felt like he himself mentally was falling asleep, his physical being was just coming along for the ride.

_A siren. _He realized in fatigue. _That is the sound of a fire siren. _

He fell unconscious.

_The door led to a small, metal flight of stairs. The stairs led to a alleyway that led to the street. Every time her boots came down on a step, it made a cold, hollow sound. Whatever was out there, out in that weird fog, she was ready. It was a life or death situation. Two simple choices. From what she could figure, she could take a chance and live, maybe find happiness. Or, she might die, whether it be from the monsters or her her own hand, and find happiness anyways. It all may lead to a happy ending._

_She laughed bitterly, trying to remember the last time she had even _read_ something with a happy ending. _

"_I'm ready," She murmured to herself. "I really am…"_

_She could lie to herself._

_There was no happiness here for her._

_It was much easier to die than to live._

_She wiped away a cold tear with her finger. She was too scared to die. She was too scared of any pain. "I just want happiness," She prayed, wondering if any g-d could hear her here. "Please, I just want a chance, just one." Deep inside, she knew that everyone deserved a second chance._

"_I'm not just a slut." She muttered to herself. "Even miracles could happen here. I know that g-d can be forgiving. I know that people could be forgiving. Even the worse of people deserve second chances, right?"_

_Her pep talk seemed to do her good. She stopped tearing and began walking, began walking for real. She saw a monster, she killed it. Easy as that. She walked closer to examine the body, the dead corpse. It was one of hose monsters that looked had a pair of legs at both end, like two mannequin ends. Its blood made a stream, just like a person would have. The woman shivered in the cold air._

_Where had everyone gone?_

_She walked forward more, her gun poised, making her feel like a secret agent gone to investigate a screwed up town. She smiled grimly at the thought. She began to walk some more. Whenever she saw the silhouette of a creature in the fog, she purposely walked away further. She needed more bullets if it was going to come down to this; she needed a lot more bullets. _

_The town was so strange. Not like how you would expect a ghost town to look. Ghost towns emptied slowly, didn't they? They showed signs of emptiness even before anyone left. It was like they all just…vanished, suddenly. Yet, at the same time, the town had the atmosphere it had been like this for a while._

_The woman looked around a little sadly. A town, she thought, wasn't something you could just drop and abandon. A town had a sort of life to. It had a certain personality. People didn't live in towns simply because there house-or job-was there. It mattered if you _liked_ the place. If you liked he sort of…charm it emitted._

_She had come across a gate. It was big, built nicely._

_A nice gate, she thought. Probably a nice house behind it._

_With people?_

_Her interest peaked, she opened the nice gate. It slid forward easily on carefully oiled hinges. The sound was, for some reason, pleasant. _

_Two monsters were behind the gate. The day, though foggy and cloudy, gave off enough light to reveal her. They charged at her, kicking their spare legs fiercely. The woman cringed, wondering what they did with the dead once they killed them. Although they were demented, horrifying, and entirely demonic, she couldn't help but be reminded of the people that were gone. They looked scary, but there was, oddly enough, something about them that seemed human. Maybe she was just high._

_Maria hurried away from them, quickly shutting the door of the house behind her and inwardly cringing. She could not bring herself to kill them. _

_The door remained shut. The monsters had not learned how to open doors apparently. Then again, they had no hands._

"_Nice joint," She murmured, gazing around the huge foyer. There ceilings were high, two balconies stretched on either side. It was nice, but not overly fancy. Owned by someone who was rich, but modest. A round table was in the middle. The woman moved closer. A pit formed in her stomach. She swallowed, arriving at the table and looked pitifully at the very dead funeral wreath that rested on it. A card lay next to the rotting flowers._

Sorry for your lost.

_The woman nearly scoffed at that. Sorry wasn't going to bring them back._

_She turned her gaze away, not bearing to look at it more. Death scared her and made her unbearably sad. She wondered who had died. Was there anyone here? She walked over to the large double doors and walked through, walking in to a comfortable looking living room. It was large, nicely furnished. A fireplace rested on the far side, a slate of metal over the opening that read __**do not use**__. Oddly enough, bullets sat on the coffee table. She took them. It wasn't stealing, not exactly._

_She walked through the door to her right and found a stairwell that led upstairs. She walked into a square opening with various doors to choose. She took a moment to consider._

_Eeny, meeny, minny…_

_The first was either locked or its lock was broken. She went over to the west one, with not very high hopes. She was getting, strangely enough, bored. Her hand wrapped arund the brass handle, she turned it easily, delighted to find it opening. Just as it opened a crack, _something_ with great force shut it. She jumped slightly, then grasped the handle again. It was now locked._

_It can't be a monster; they aren't smart enough to do this._

_If it wasn't a monster…"Ah," She said, jostling the knob some more. "Is someone there?" She rapped softly on the hard wood. "Open up." There was no answer. "Hello?" She tried knocking again, this time with more fervor. _

"_Stop it." A man commanded from behind the heavy door. The young woman felt her insides soar with relief and something close to happiness. Thank g-d, she wasn't alone. "You're disturbing me." He said flatly. It was definitely a man, his voice sounded worn, sad. But he wasn't a monster._

"_Whew," She said, relief flooding her words. "Thank g-d. I finally found someone." She waited a minute, waited to see if whoever they were they would open the door now that they knew she was human. "Can you open the door?"_

"_No." He stated with finality._

"_But why?" She asked, puzzled._

_The man seemed to sigh. He definitely sounded tired. "Is it really necessary for me to answer all your tedious questions?"_

_Snob, she thought. "Yes."_

"_Oh," The man said with faint sarcasm. "I didn't know that. I just want to be alone. Other people just irritate me."_

_The woman pressed her palm against the door, she forced the exhausted sob down her throat and dug her red nails lightly against the door. "I just want to see another human face." She explained, not bothering trying to hide the desperation in her voice. "Do you know what's happening in this town?" She asked when he didn't respond. "There's no one here, just monsters."_

"_Yes, I know." He said. "But so what?" He said as if he didn't care. "It has nothing to do with me. No one here means there's nothing here to disturb me." He sounded like he wanted it that way._

"_You want to be alone in this insane asylum?" She asked him incredulously. She couldn't believe. All she wanted was to find someone to stick out with her. How could anyone want to be alone here?_

_There was a slight silence. The man seemed to digest this. "But how can you say that it is the town that's insane?" He asked her slowly, his voice nearly emotionless. "Maybe it is we who are insane." His theory made so much sense, much more than she wanted it to be. He knew it made sense too. The woman thought she saw, perhaps he thought himself insane. Is that why he locked himself away? "Both of us," He said in a careless tone. "Hopelessly insane."_

_The woman shivered, he sounded so dark. They both saw the monsters. Could two insane people see the same things._

_Or is one of us just a hallucination? She wondered, looking strangely at the door._

"_Are you satisfied?" He asked her, his shaper voice cutting into her thoughts. "Will you leave me alone now?"_

"_What's your name?" She suddenly blurted out, feeling he at least owed her that. _

_He paused again, then sighed. "Ernest."_

"_Hemmingway?" She smirked._

"_Baldwin."_

"_Ernest, I'll be back." She promised, placing her hand on the door once more. He didn't answer. She wished she he would. She shivered again, taking her hand away. There was something about Ernest, like a strong aura. Not of just sadness, but of complete, utter hopelessness. Like he had given up on everything. _

"_I'm not like that." She murmured to herself. "I still have something to go for."_

_She walked away, heading back down the stairs feeling sad though she didn't know why. Just as she was halfway down, __**bang!**__ Something _loud_ sounded throughout the house. It made her jump; her thoughts flew to Ernest just sitting up there, sad, hopeless, dark._

_My g-d, he blew his brains out!_

_Those were her first thoughts until she realized it hadn't come from above. What was it? She flew down the stairs, the sound of footsteps that weren't her own urging her on. The door opened before her, hitting the wall. Her gaze stared bewildered into the room. At first glance, nothing was wrong. She spotted a slate of blown metal on the floor and realized it had been the one covering the fireplace. She picked it up, bewildered, wondering what had done it._

_On her knees, she glimpsed up the fireplace, trying to see what was the deal. It was very dark, she had trouble seeing. Something seemed to cover the pipe at the top. The only thing that seemed odd were the metal rungs that stuck out of the brick wall. She reached out and grabbed a hold of one of them. One rested directly above that one, and another._

_A latter! She realized._

_Getting even further down on her knees, she eased her way into he fireplace and stood. It was a good thing she wasn't claustrophobic. She grabbed the rung as farthest as she could and mounted the first rung, hauling herself._

_Why is there a latter here?_

_She slowly climbed upward, not sure when it would end. Eventually, she was in complete darkness. If she wasn't careful, she could fall. She would probably get stuck. Her head grazed a wooden ceiling. She put one hand on it, balancing her other, and pushed it upward. It opened. Eager to get into a lighter area, she scurried out of the dark, small area. It looked like a small garden; it was actually pretty cute, like a small park. Trees grew on either side; there was a stone pathway around bushes. The woman smiled at the serene feeling. _

_She walked along the stone pathway, coming to a patio of sorts at an opening. A gray stone sat atop. She came closer, climbing the patio, finding writing on the grave. _

"Along with you died joy.

All that remains is despair and a

Future of meaningless tomorrows."

"But I will never give up.

One, to see your

Beautiful smile again.

One, to beg

The blessing of the g-ds.

I wait for that day."

"When the boards cover all

All sadness too will be covered.

But until my dreams

Return to reality.

I will have to swallow

All the pain."

James groaned, his eyes opening slowly. He sat up, rubbing his back and gazing around at is surroundings in amazement. He was no longer in the room, the monsters were gone.


	15. Not Mary

James nudged his head; the ground beneath it was cold and hard. Very uncomfortable. With a groan, his head lolled to the side, the faint pounding of a headache from lying there starting to arise. Slowly, he tried to remember what had happened. Why was he lying on the ground.

_I…I killed them. The monsters, the ones in the cages. Then I…fainted? The room began to spin. I…now I remember! Laura! Oh g-d, my head…_

He sat up quickly, looking around his surroundings in dumb amazement.

The office was gone.

Now he was sitting in a completely different room. It looked almost like a garden area, very dirty and dead looking. James pushed himself to his feet quickly, wondering what the hell had happened. Had someone carry him here?

_That's it. _He thought. _Things are screwy enough as it is. I need to get out of here. This place…there is something terribly wrong here._

He found himself laughing dryly at the comment, placing his hands over his sore abdomen. _Did you just realize that now dumb ass?_

He wasn't laughing because it was funny; he was down right scared. His knees trembled; he shook like a child and felt just as frightened.

_Maybe I'm in hell._

Still shaking, he exited the room, wanting nothing more than to get back to Maria, find Mary, and the get hell away from this…this town. Was it even a town? He stepped out into the hallway; a cold hand gripped his stomach, making it churn. It was dark, very dark, and darker than it should have been. The walls looked old, rotted, rusted, and…blood stained. He might have expected that. This was a abandoned hospital, it's bound to show some form of neglect.

_This isn't neglect. _He thought gravely. _Not neglect…hellish is a better word to describe it._

It did look hellish, like a nightmare. The dark that had succumbed the hallways was thick, his light barely sliced through it. The air had a much stiller, frightening feeling. The atmosphere of the sad building had been altered completely. James racked his brain, trying to come up with a name for this-this hellish scenery. Hellish wasn't enough, he somehow knew this, like he had been supplied with this information. No, this place had a very different feel from the foggy world, it was more evil, more tormenting, as though the devil himself had arisen from hell and placed his palm across the walls, spreading his own wallpaper.

_Darkness._

The word arose in his subconscious like a creature slowly arising from a lagoon.

_Darkness._

_That's how it seems. _He realized. _Darkness. Darkness. Darkness._

Not your average everyday darkness, something _evil._ The kind of darkness, like a nightmare viewed through reality. A nightmare that has _become_ reality.

James removed his flashlight form his jacket, holding it out in front of him for better illumination. His footsteps sounding light in the thick, cold air. He located the elevator, and rode it up to the first floor back to where he had started. As he stepped out, he noted that it too had been altered, much to his dismay. The darkness.

_What's happened here?_

_Maria…I should go check on Maria._

He nodded slightly, agreeing with himself that it was a good idea. Stumbling down the hallway, light slicing through the unnatural dark, looking at the new surroundings almost in awe. The rust, he saw, seemed to emit a reddish glow. It reminded him of embers. The doors that were open before were just as he had left them; he yanked the door knob and hurried up the stairs, never stopping to catch his breath until he had reached the third floor. He walked out, nearly running into the twitching, faceless creature wearing a nurse outfit. He raised his gun without hesitation, shooting down the creature until it was soaked in dark red blood.

He ran into the back rooms where patients had been admitted. Everywhere he looked, darkness seemed to cling like a blanket. The back rooms, as everything else, were changed. He stopped in front of Maria's room, waiting, seeing if he could hear anything.

_She's still resting._

He opened the door, stepping inside and gazing in dismay at the empty, now rusty cot. Maria wasn't there, she was gone. On the bedside table were some unopened pill bottles. James picked them up. The bottle had no prescription, no name; it didn't even have a label. Just some white pills on the inside.

_What is this stuff?_

He set them down, dread growing in him. What had just happened? Hell, what was happening in general? This made no sense. This place was screwed up entirely.

_Why did I leave her alone?_

James walked out of the room, debating what to do next. Just leave without Maria? Maybe she was wandering around, looking for him?

_Or maybe that pyramid head thing dragged her off._

He hurried, not knowing where he was going, down the stairs.

_Crash!_

James nearly tripped, grabbing a hold of the banister to keep himself from falling on his face.

_It came from the basement._

He retraced his steps back down the stairs, readying his shotgun. His breath came it in short, quick gasps, his nerves were on fire. At last, he reached the basement, preparing himself for hell. He walked in quickly, his shotgun poised at air. The basement was very small, there wasn't anything down there. He looked more closely around the room, noticing for the first time a smaller entrance in the basement, almost like a large hole. James bent down, pulling himself through the hole, and looking around curiously. It was dark, there wasn't anything in there.

James walked more into the room, sighing in frustration, feeling like he was running in circles. There was nothing at all, and, he was starting to think, was never anything. Of course that thought had been on his mind all day, he had tried to ignore it, and it always came back.

_Oh g-d Mary…_

"James!"

James' heart leaped forward, he whirled around, a huge smile of awe on his face. Someone moved in the shadows, stepping forward. James knew those legs anywhere. "Mary!"

Frowning, Maria left her dark veil, a slightly disappointed look on her face. James faltered for a moment, his mouth twitching in embarrassment. As glad as he was to see her alive, he was deeply disappointed she wasn't Mary. "Maria," He said, clearly surprised. "I thought you were-anyway," Maria shook her head slowly, frowning. "Anyway, I'm glad your alive."

There was a beat, and then she looked up at him, her blue eyes narrowed angrily. "Anyway?" She screeched. "What do you mean anyway? You don't sound very happy to see me!" Her voice raised several octaves. James took a step back, surprised by her outburst. "I almost _died_ back there, why didn't you try to save me? All you care about is that dead wife of yours! I've never been so scared in my whole life!" Her voice cracked, she absent mindedly wiped away a tear.

James didn't know what to say at first. Here was this woman, she looked just like Mary, but she wasn't. She was someone _completely _different, not Mary at all. Not Mary, not Mary. She was Maria. When would he learn that?

"I'm sorry," He said lamely. "I just-"

Maria didn't give him a chance to finish. She flung her slender arms around his broad shoulders and pressed herself against him. "Then stay with me." She wailed tearfully. "Don't ever leave me. You're supposed to protect me." Then she began to cry. James slowly put his arms around her, feeling both awkward and bad at the same time. He hadn't meant to make her cry, he hadn't meant to scare. But…his first priority was Mary, didn't she realize that? Was this really his fault?

_I shouldn't have left her—_

_You have Mary to think about._

James inhaled Maria's perfume, not _Spring, _of course, probably something from Victoria's Secret. Mary had always been so fond of nature. Her shampoo had been lilac scented. She had been over fond of flowers; he would always find her pulling weeds out of the ground or watering the plants at home. She had had a regular green thumb. He use to bring her flowers in the hospital, but they always died. It was something he had never understood about her. Why had she become so attached to something so fragile? Flowers died so quickly, they would wilt first, their lovely color fading, and then they'd rot, then they would just sit there until Mother Nature did its course. It was tragic in its own way, watching something so beautiful just slowly rot away. Sometimes, it was a lot easier to just pluck them out of the ground while they were still wilting.

Maria moved away from him, her eyes dried. "Where's Laura?" She asked him. "Did you find her?"

"Yeah, but," James winced, feeling bad. "She ran away."

"We have to find her!"

"Why do you care so much about her?" James asked her, remembering how she locked him into the room. He was bewildered. "Do you know her…?"

"I-I don't know." Maria admitted. "But I feel like it's up to me to protect her."

James nodded, pretending to understand. Another mystery about Maria he would never figure out.

The two quietly exited the room, neither one speaking. Maria remained behind him, as usual. He was suppose to protect her after all.

She was a puzzle to him. He didn't understand why she resembled Mary so much. Whenever he saw her, he instantly though: _"Mary!", _even when he knew she wasn't. She was someone entirely different, yet he felt like he knew her. And the way she spoke, as if she had known him for years. But they didn't, neither of them had never met before, so he shouldn't feel so guilty. He knew he wanted Mary, not Maria. And she wasn't his Mary. When would he realize that?


	16. Blind Faith

James' mind was swirling with thoughts and images that he would not have dared to have released in his own home where Mary's memory was the strongest and freshest. He was afraid, and even had admitted to himself this rational fear, of remembering. He knew, better than anyone that it was just so much easier to forget. A memory can be a blessing…and a curse. James had two of the most important memories in his life permanently imprinted in his mind…the first time he met Mary…and then when he learned that she only had 'x' number of months to live.

If there had ever been a person who loved life…it was Mary. She appreciated every damned weed that grew out of the ground and religiously prayed only to thank the higher-ups for creating such a wonderful world. She was just so living, so _alive_, until they received _the news._ It hadn't been the news that they wanted. They had wanted news for a baby. That's all any couple wants to hear. The kind of news that made the wife gasp and grab her husband's hand with such force that circulation gets cut off, but he doesn't mind because he's got a proud grin plastered on his face and already he's planning for the baseball games, the father-son camping trips, and the Sundays watching the Big Game, all the while the mother is trying to decide which shade of pink to paint the nursery.

But not Mary…for Mary, the only response was a little sigh-nearly inaudible-and the next moment, when James gathered the courage to look into her face…there was…nothing. A look a horror enclosed her mouth, her pale brow knitted in incomprehension and-now that he thought about it-maddening confusion, but it had been her eyes that had made him sob. Blue and bright…the life left drained until there were nothing but two mirrors staring through him. Ghost eyes. The hollow remains of a life so filled with promises and then turned upside down by a man with a clipboard and cleanly pressed white jacket.

And now…those eyes appeared lively again. But now, they weren't Mary's. They were some woman who looked like her, though she clearly wasn't her. He had to keep telling himself that. Mary was most likely not going to appear to him; she was dead. End of story…but then why did he insist on reading further?

"James, what are you thinking?" Her tone caught him off guard. It could have been Mary saying that.

_Penny for your thoughts?_

"What?" He blinked at her, like a goldfish.

She seemed almost worried. For him? "Just now," she hesitated. "You seemed so…intense. I'm sorry if I had upset you earlier."

"Oh." He paused in the middle of the hallway. "You didn't upset me." He muttered. "It was my fault. I'm just so confused and…tired." He continued to walk, chasing away the darkness with his light.

The slightest of smiles curved Maria's red lips. "You're always tired." She whined playfully.

James nearly tripped. Her mood swings were beginning to give him whip-lash. "Why would you say that?" He asked softly. "Why would you know that?"

_Mary isn't here. She never was…_

Maria ignored his question. "You keep looking at me," She said quietly. "Like you're looking for something."

"I-I'm just looking for…"

"Mary." She shook her head. "Always Mary. Is it Mary you want, James?"

James looked away. "You know that's who I want." He said uncomfortably.

"Yes but…do you know what she wants? Does she still want you? After everything?"

Odd question. Maria's voice was chilly. She took a step forward, smiling brightly. James started to step back, but nearly stumbled over his own feet. Maria reached in front and gently grabbed his jacket flaps, not pulling him closer, but more of not letting him back up anymore. She looked up into his face, a loose strand of blonde hair hanging against her smooth forehead. James resisted the urge to push the hair away, averted his eyes as to not directly notice Maria's brown roots. G-d, she even smelled like Mary. Her mouth trembled, and when he looked back down, he could see her eyes were longing and hopeful. He felt a pang in his chest.

"_Is it Mary you want?"_

Slowly, Maria pulled herself closer to his face, her eyes gently closed. James felt himself leaning backwards-or was it forwards? His eyes closed against his will, and in the next instant, he was engulfed by Mary's sweet perfume. The lips that reached him were warm, tender, and painfully familiar. Maria seemed to think so too. James circled his arms around her, embracing her, touching her, making sure she was real. The way she kissed him was certainly real. Not forceful or needy like he'd imagined, but very, very sweetly. He stroked her hair, rubbed her back, and realized his eyes were moist. Nostalgia tore at his heart, and he thought about his and Mary's first kiss in James' car where she stole away his heart that night, and every other night. Now…standing in a forsaken hospital hallway, with the stale, musty air, he suddenly felt more at home than he had in three years. A sense of familiarity that made him hurt. When he looked down, Maria's face bore the same expression. She smiled serenely, and playfully touched her red finger nail to James' lips…like Mary used to.

"Who are you?" He whispered. "Is there something I don't know about?"

She snuggled against him. "There are many things you don't know."

"Who are you?"

"How should I know?" She taunted playfully. "Maybe I'm just a ghost." She actually looked thoughtful. "Do you think I would know if I were one?"

"I don't know."

"Too bad." She looked mischievous. "Tell me, James, do I make you nervous? I know its Mary you're looking for, but try to put my considerations in as well. Why are you looking for a dead woman, and if she were alive, why would she have waited three whole years to contact you?"

_Like I haven't thought of that._

"It's difficult to understand." James said warily. "I just want to know if she's ok."

"She's dead!"

Tired of this confrontation, James walked pass Maria. She didn't give up that easily. In the next second, she was matching his pace beside him.

"Is it all worth it?" She demanded. "This hellhole? Face it James…you're not here for Mary at all. You're here for yourself! You're burdened with her death, and I understand that, but do something for yourself, James. Go home. Leave this town. It's infectious. Mary died, James. If she were alive-and love you as much as you seem to believe that she did-then you would know fact from fiction."

James felt his own anger simmer. "Just let me go. You don't know Mary nearly as much as you seem to think you do. You're nice but…oh G-d…I just can't do this." He turned away from the trembling woman, and walked as quickly as possible to the nearest elevator. A few seconds later, Maria's footfalls sounded.

"I'm sorry." James told her as they boarded the elevator.

Maria shook her head. "I won't ever be good enough, will I?"

James stared quietly ahead, listening to the dull hum of the elevator as it moved down. "I love Mary."

Maria's laugh was dry and short. "Of course. You _love _her…but…what if she's not there, James? Have you considered that? What will you do? You can't torture yourself like that."

James shrugged as the elevator stopped. "I have but…I still want to know where the letter came from. It's a horrible prank; I don't find it funny. It hurts…it all just hurts so much to think about her being somewhere out there alive without me knowing. I've missed her so much, Maria. I need answers. I need to…figure everything out. If Mary isn't there…than I'll move on, somehow. With or without Mary, I will find a way to continue with my life."

The elevator doors clanked open. James immediately started out, wondering where he could exit the hospital from. It was some sort of basement…he tried to call the elevator back, but nothing happened. There had to be some stairs around there somewhere.

"What will happen to me?" Maria asked softly. James turned to look at her, trying to not to see Mary's face.

_She's defenseless. _He thought. _Purely defenseless. I need to protect her…but until I start concentrating more of the woman who is actually with me, I won't be of any good to her._

"I don't know." He said honestly.

"I would have figured just as much." She said softly.

"I'm not being fair to you."

She shrugged him off, smiling a bit lopsidedly. "Don't worry," She said evenly. "No man has ever been fair to me."

James grimaced at the stinging comment. He waited for her to back up her comment, but she just shrugged again, clearly not wanting to further intensify her reasoning.

There was a door. James found it unlocked, and walked through into a bizarre hallway. He chose left, and started walking down, wondering who the hell would build a maze here. Maria stayed close behind. James stopped suddenly, standing stalk still.

"Did you hear something?" He mused.

"No," Maria's eyes went wide. "Let's keep going."

James was about to breathe, when the distinctive noise appeared. Not wanting to frighten Maria, he sped up a little, trying to resist the urge to turn around.

_Zinnnnng. Zinnnnng._

Was there something, or was it just his overactive imagination? Maria sounded further and further away, maybe he should slow.

_Keep going. _He thought. _Just get out of here._

"James?"

Was this some sort of maze? A test for the more unstable patients?

"James?!"

James turned-he wished he hadn't-and nearly slammed his face into the wall connecting to the next sharp turn. The monster-the pyramid head shaped monster loomed around the corner. Maria seemed suspended in the distance away from him. She did not look behind, but started to run. James needed no prodding.

The walls became a blur of gray as he rounded the next corner. He was reminded of the indoor track courts from high school where the runners would go 'round and 'round, never slowing, gaining momentum while trying to beat their own numbers. The weight of the gun in his pocket snapped him back to reality. She swiped it with his right hand, not wanting to run around to see the scene.

Maria's labored breathing seemed so far away. Couldn't she run any faster.

_This isn't right. I should be helping._

He skidded to a stop, and turned around. "Maria!" He shouted, reaching out a hand.

She wasn't there.

He listened intensely, his heart thudding, and waited to see if she would appear around the corner. Nothing. The noises were all gone. He momentarily debated going back…but he need that was a suicide mission. That monster was still there.

_I'm so sorry._

_She can't be dead! She was there! I know it._

_Save yourself. Even if she is back there, it's too late._

"Maria?" He called hoarsely. No answer. "Maria!"

Still silence. James imagined what lay beyond the corner at the far end of the hallway. Was the monster waiting for him to come back, using Maria as a ruse? The agony of mental torture bore down on him. His upper lip gathered sweat and he felt so enclosed, so trapped. Although, of course, he wasn't. There was an elevator right behind him. When he reached out to press the button, the door opened shakily. He was safe.

James stepped in, still sweating, still shaking with despair. Was Maria dead? His fault…he should have…

"_James!" _

Not his imagination. James looked behind him. Maria had appeared-but how?-only an easy ten yards away from the elevator.

"Maria!" His happiness at the sight of her quickly vanquished as the elevator door began to close noisily. "Open up!"

"James…James…" Tears streamed down her cheek, her eyes were bright with horror. It all happened too quickly. There was an ominous shadow shifting behind her. The doors tried to close, but James blockaded them with his own hands.

"Open up!" He slammed the buttons on the side of the door. They didn't respond Maria tried to push her way through the doors, but the gap kept on growing smaller. The more James struggled, the closer the dark shadow got to Maria. "No!"

"James!" Maria stared at him desperately, her blue eyes wide and her mouth a red gash. She screamed his name over and over.

The Pyramid Head stood behind her. Maria began crying, and James could barely see the action from in between the cracks. Maria's arm fit through, her hand flailed in panic, groping the air for something.

"Maria…hold on…I've got it…" He tried to hide the desperate sound of his own words. "No…oh G-d, no."

"James!" The monster moved suddenly, raising its huge knife in the air. Before he realized what had happened, the awful sound of metal tearing through bone reached him. Maria's back arched painfully, her eyes wide and shocked. Her hand continued to hover in air, each finger flexed.

"Maria!"

For a second it dangled, then each finger curled into the hand, and her wrist dropped. Very slowly, the arm receded to the other side. The doors began to close at last. James, his own hands still propping the doors open, tentatively let it close. "Maria…no…"

He clenched his eyes shut, and slid to the dirty, grimy ground, and tried not to be sick. "Oh G-d…no…no…"

He tried to pull himself together, to tell himself it was all just a bad dream. His hands shook…his shoulders heaved.

_First Mary…now Maria._

"I'm so sorry." He whispered hoarsely. "I couldn't save you."

_Maria's dead. I couldn't protect her. Once again, I couldn't do anything to help. Laura has run off somewhere/ Mary…What…what should I do? Are you…really waiting somewhere for me? Or is this your way of taking…I'm going to find Mary…It's the only thing I have left to hope for._


End file.
